Palghar: College principal booked for molesting student; investigation underway

A student studying in her first year at a well-known college in Palghar district has lodged a complaint of molestation against the college principal. The student had previously reported the incident to the college administration, but with no action taken, she decided to escalate the matter by filing a complaint with the police.

The 21-year-old student, hailing from Nagpur, enrolled in the college for her undergraduate studies in April 2022. After failing in one subject, as indicated in the result announced on March 30, she received an unidentified phone call on April 2, summoning her to the principal's office for a purported answer sheet reevaluation.

Accused warns victim

Upon arriving at the principal's office cabin on April 2, which happened to be a public holiday, the complainant alleges that the principal insisted she would have to offer something in return to pass the paper. The accused allegedly warned her of failing again in the exam if her demands were not met. During the meeting, the accused reportedly engaged in inappropriate physical contact and misconduct towards the student, causing her significant mental distress.

Disturbed by the incident, the victim confided in her mother, who promptly called her back to their residence in Nagpur. After a few days, the student and her mother approached the college administration to lodge a formal complaint. Although the administration acknowledged the complaint, no action was taken against the accused.

Subsequently, the aggrieved student sought police intervention, leading to the registration of an FIR on May 25. The police are now in the process of investigating the case and verifying the charges made by the complainant.