Baripada, Aug. 17: Mayurbhanj police have arrested the principal of a missionary school for allegedly raping a Class III student at Udla town in the district.

Although the incident took place on August 14, accused Santosh Georger, 42, was taken into custody on Saturday and sent to jail after his bail petition was rejected.

It is alleged that the principal of St. Joseph Missionary School had committed the offence during school hours.

He had threatened the girl that she would fail in her exam if she informed anyone about the incident.

In the afternoon, the accused visited the house of the victim to find out whether the girl had divulged anything or not.

The girl was not present in the house. When she returned, she was told that the school principal had visited their house. It was then that she narrated her ordeal to her mother.

As news of the incident spread the next day, local residents staged a demonstration outside the school.

Subsequently, the police registered a case of rape under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and arrested Santosh Georger.

Sub-divisional police officer K.C. Nayak said: “The accused hailed from Kerala and was posted in the school about a year ago.”

In another incident, the Sadar police of Baripada arrested two juveniles on charges of raping a 60-year-old woman.

The accused duo had committed the crime against the victim of Jharpokharia on Wednesday. Both of them were sent to a correction home after they were produced before the juvenile justice board in Baripda.

Brown sugar arrest

A 55 year old woman was arrested by excise department officials in Baripada on Sunday. The officials seized brown sugar from her possession. The accused, Sunita Mohanty, of Sungadia under Mayurbhanj district was forwarded to court.