Paradip, Feb. 4: The head of an English-medium school here was arrested today for allegedly sexually abusing a minor girl.

Shankarshan Samantray, the principal of the private school, has been booked under sections 354, 341, 342, 506 of the IPC and sections 4 and 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. He has been remanded in jail custody, said Paradip Lock police station inspector Subhranshu Sekhar Nayak.

Samantray allegedly molested the victim, a Class-VII student of the school, at a vacant classroom on January 30. The incident left the girl traumatised.

On reaching home, the girl broke down and narrated her ordeal to her parents. The accused was arrested after the girl's father lodged a complaint.

In the last few months, several cases of sexual assault on students have been reported from this part of the state. In December 2015, a 45-year-old teacher of a government-run upper primary school in Jagatsinghpur district was arrested for raping a student. Another teacher in Rajnagar block of Kedrapara district was also arrested on the same charge in December.

At least eight more similar cases were registered in police stations in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts during that time.

"This is a disturbing trend and it is bringing disrepute to a noble profession. Teachers need to uphold moral values. Those who are perpetrating such crimes on students should be sacked from their job," said child rights activist Biraja Prasad Pati.

Educationist Bhagaban Jena, however, said: "Such cases are few and far between. So, it should not be construed that the teaching profession has degenerated. However, moral lapses of this nature on part of a small section of teachers is condemnable and they should be sternly dealt with."