School principal booked for thrashing, stripping student

The action was taken after the principal received several complaints against the girl's misbehaviour from other students.u00a0The police officials said the girl hailed from Mumbai and was residing at the school-run hostel, and Borde had recently joined the school. "The incident took place on July 16. The girl narrated the incident to her parents following which they approached the police station and lodged a complaint against Borde under Sections 354 (molestation) and 323 (bodily offence) of the IPC," Police Inspector U N Sonawane said.u00a0

Under a cloud: u00a0The St Andrews High School for Girls. Pic/Krunal Gosavi

He said the officials have recorded the girl's statement. In her statement, the girl accused the principal of beating and stripping off her clothes in her office in front of peons and administration staff.u00a0API Ashok Randive, who is investigating the case, said the school authorities issued a leaving certificate to the girl stating that she was misbehaving with other girls in the hostel as well as school, and several students had complained against her. u00a0"The school authorities also told the parents that the girl needs to be taken to a psychiatrist as her behaviour was eccentric," Randive said.u00a0

A school staffer, requesting anonymity, said allegations levelled against Borde were baseless. She said the girl was sexually harassing other students in the hostel and the school, and several students had complained to the principal about the girl's behaviour.

"She was warned several times by the school authorities, but did not change her attitude and continued her harassment. Finally her parents were asked to withdraw her from the school as other girl students were getting influenced by her," she said. She said despite issuing a leaving certificate, the girl's parents approached police officials and lodged a false complaint against Borde.

Dr V J Sirwaiya, secretary of John Wilson Education Society, which runs the school, said they will be forming a committee to investigate the matter and stringent action would be initiated against the culprit.u00a0