Angul, April 1: A headmaster and an assistant teacher of a high school at Purunakote here were arrested yesterday for allegedly trying to rape a Class IX student on Saturday.

The girl’s father had lodged a complaint on Saturday.

He alleged that after the school was closed, Bapuji Behera, the assistant teacher, called the girl and took her to headmaster Kartik Bhoi’s chamber. Once she was inside the room, Behera allegedly locked the door from outside. Bhoi then allegedly misbehaved with the girl despite her protests.

A few of the girl’s classmates said they had seen her going into the room and the assistant teacher locking the door.

They said they alerted the villagers and local people immediately rushed to the school and rescued the girl.

“On Sunday, our officers arrested the duo and produced them in court,” said Angul sub-divisional police officer S.K. Mahapatra.