Villagers thrash teacher, video goes viral

JAGATSINGHPUR: The headmaster of a primary school and a Cluster Resource Centre Coordinator (CRCC) were attacked by villagers of Ratanpur within Erasama police limits over sexual harassment of a minor girl student, the video of which has gone viral in the district.    Local villagers also held a kangaroo court and imposed a fine of `3 lakh on the accused teacher to settle the matter without informing the police.

Though the incident took place last Friday, the video of the attack went viral on social media on Tuesday. After the matter came to light, District Educational Officer (DEO) Prativa Manjari Das conducted an enquiry into the complaint of villagers against headmaster of Jayadev UP school, Nuaratanpur Rabindra Sahu. The villagers accused Sahu of abusing and molesting a Class VI girl student of Ratanpur under Kunjakothi panchayat. The DEO has also directed Block Education Officer of Erasama to submit a detailed report on the incident

“We have received the video of the incident. After the BEO submits a report, action will be taken against the accused teacher,” said Das.In the video, locals of Ratanpur village are seen assaulting Sahu. CRCC Biswaranajn Lenka, who reached the spot to rescue the headmaster, is also seen attacked by the irate villagers.Kunjakothi Sarpanch Sandhya Swain said, “We have heard about the incident but no one has come forward with any allegation of sexual abuse on the minor girl. The issue has been resolved by the intervention of village chief and president of the school management committee (SMC).” 

Sources, however, said the issue was resolved by a kangaroo court which imposed a fine of `3 lakh on the headmaster. Sahu reportedly paid a fine of `50,000 in cash and the rest amount through cheque following which the matter was settled amicably with the victim girl’s family. As the matter was suppressed by villagers, the girl’s parents did not lodge any complaint against Sahu with police, the sources added.

Notably, such an incident is not new in the district. In July 2017, headmaster of Polang project primary school was slapped a fine of `2.5 lakh by a kangaroo court in in Gadkujang panchayat for molesting a minor girl studying in Class VII. Since the incident, the accused headmaster has went on a leave and is yet to join duty for the last 11 months.