Ahmedabad Principal Arrested for Alleged Molestation of Mother Seeking School Certificates
A 28-year-old mother from Naroda, Ahmedabad, was allegedly molested by an in-charge principal when she visited to collect leaving certificates for her two children. The accused was arrested by Vatva GIDC police on Friday, marking a disturbing case of abuse of authority.
Complaint and Legal Action
The complaint was registered under BNS Sections 75(2), which pertains to sexual harassment, and Section 198, addressing public servants disobeying the law with intent to cause injury. These charges were filed against the principal of a residential primary school located in Kheda district.
P C Desai, the in-charge police inspector at Vatva GIDC, confirmed the arrest based on the mother's detailed complaint. The woman, originally from Kheda district, has two sons studying in Class 3 and 8, whose educational journey became entangled in this distressing incident.
Background of the Case
According to the complaint, the woman had not sent her two sons to school during the Covid period. Last year, she contacted this particular school in Kheda, where the accused worked as principal-in-charge, and enrolled the children in Class 3 and 8. She maintained contact with the principal via phone to discuss their academic progress.
In her statement, she alleged that the food and living conditions at the residential school were substandard, leading her children to frequently return home. Consequently, she decided against sending them back and requested their leaving certificates to facilitate a transfer.
Alleged Harassment and Molestation
Despite repeated phone calls and WhatsApp messages, the principal allegedly did not issue the documents. Instead, he insisted she meet him alone on three separate occasions to collect the leaving certificates, as detailed in the complaint.
On Wednesday, the principal informed her he was bringing the certificates to Ahmedabad. Suspecting ill intentions, the woman informed her nephew about the situation and asked him to closely follow her when she went to meet the principal.
On Friday, around noon, the principal met her near Hathijan Circle and suggested they sit and talk at a hotel in the Radhe Complex area. He then took her to a room in the hotel, where the complainant stated the alleged molestation occurred.
Intervention and Police Action
The woman alleged that inside the room, he held her hand and molested her. Her nephew and an acquaintance reached the hotel room and assaulted the principal in response to the situation.
The woman immediately called the police, went to the police station, and provided a detailed statement. Following this, an offence was registered, leading to the swift arrest of the accused principal.
This case highlights serious concerns about safety and ethical conduct in educational institutions, prompting calls for stricter oversight and accountability measures to protect vulnerable individuals from such abuses of power.
