The principal of a residential school at Mangala village in Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district was arrested on Saturday on the charge of sexually harassing girl students during a recent excursion.
The accused, Lokesh, 38, has been booked under Section 3 and 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, said Superintendent of Police, Chamarajanagar, Dharmendra Kumar Meena.
The complaint was booked after a preliminary inquiry by Chamarajanagar District Tribal Welfare Officer Krishnappa found prima facie evidence in the complaints made by the girl students to their parents. The victims complained that the accused had “touched them inappropriately”, which was “almost like molestation”.
According to Mr. Krishnappa, students of Ekalavya Residential School, which offers education to students of high school and pre-university, went on an excursion on December 29 and 30 to various places in Kodagu and Hassan districts in buses.
“Two girls complained that the harassment took place after the principal gave them pills when they complained of headache during the journey,” Mr. Krishnappa said in the complaint.
The girls had also complained about sexual harassment when they were taken to a cultural programme in a bus to Hyderabad from January 12 to 15.
Mr. Meena said Additional Superintendent of Police Geetha was conducting further investigation into the allegations. The accused reportedly faced similar complaints during his earlier posting at Periyapatna and at Karwar. “We are securing details,” Mr. Meena added.