Balasore: A headmaster of a government-run primary school was suspended by the block education officer of Jaleswar following allegation that he had sexually harassed a Class-V girl student. The accused teacher was identified as Naresh Chandra Jena of Priyabag Primary school in Netua gram panchayat of Jaleswar block.

Block education officer Bijay Kumar Nath said that the headmaster was suspended after an inquiry by a team of officials found him guilty.

It was alleged that Jena used to touch the girl's private parts whenever he found her alone for the past one year. He had threatened the girl not to divulge the matter to anyone. Her parents had suspected something wrong when they spotted a change in the girl's behaviour and her reluctance to go to school. The girl had later disclosed her ordeals to her parents following which her parents approached other villagers for help.

When the issue became public, the enraged villagers had locked the schoolgate demanding stern action against Jena.

Nath said that he took immediate action when the incident was brought to his notice. Inspector in charge of Jaleswar police station Pradip Majhi said that appropriate action would taken after an FIR was lodged in this regard.

Soro police on Friday arrested a 27-year-old man for allegedly molesting a physically-challenged girl. The accused, Khageswar See of Chhatrapur village, was forwarded to court.