Kendrapara, March 16: A headmaster of a government-run primary school was arrested today on charges of allegedly trying to outrage the modesty of a 12-year-old girl student in Nagapada village of Balakati gram panchayat under Aul police station jurisdiction, about 35 km from here.

The district wing of the school and mass education department has ordered a probe into the incident. The errant teacher has been placed under suspension after he was remended in police custody, official sources said.

“The alleged incident occurred yesterday afternoon when the accused summoned the Class VI girl student to an empty classroom on the pretext of crosschecking class notes.

“The victim was left shell-shocked as the culprit had attempted to perpetrate the act of escapade.

‘The victim later confided it to her parents, who lodged an FIR in this connection at the Aul police station”, said head of Aul police station Tapas Kumar Das.

“Investigation found veracity of the charge levelled against the school headmaster. The statement of the victim girl was recorded by us and we also talked to some of her classmates,” Das added.

The accused, Seikh Mohammad Abjur, was produced in court under Section 354 of IPC provisions.

He was later remanded in police custody following dismissal of his bail application in a local court, police said.

This sort of act of misdemeanor and misconduct by school teacher is second occurrence in recent times. A couple of months back, a headmaster of a government-run high school in Mahakakalpada area had been placed under suspension under similar charge. The accused headmaster Bijoy Samal, against whom police had registered a case under section 354 Indian Penal Code, is however evading arrest, said Kendrapara sub divisional police officer Narayan Mohanty.

“Such occurrences, which are very unfortunate, are lowering the dignity of noble profession like teaching. Only stray cases have come to light. It’s quite possible that more cases might have been suppressed. We are thinking in terms of strengthening the parents-teachers-association with active community members to stop such incidents”, said Gobinda Chandra Pati, District Inspector of Schools.

In another incident, an auto rickshaw driver Bhagaban Dhal was arrested in Orataghat village under Mahakalpada police station area, about 20 Km from here, for allegedly molesting a nine-year-old girl. Earlier agitated locals had resorted to Rasta roka agitation demanding the arrest of the culprit.