Haryana police on Tuesday, October 31, informed that the principal of a government girls' school in the state's Jind district, accused of sexually harassing the students, has now been booked. Notably, the principal was suspended from his service a few days ago.

The police in Jind on Monday, October 30, registered a case against the principal under Sections 354-A (sexual harassment), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 342 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, said the SHO of the police station under whose jurisdiction the school falls, as mentioned in a report by PTI.

Officials in the Jind district administration had earlier said that the accused was suspended by the Haryana government on October 27. Besides, an inquiry committee has been formed to look into the allegations, which is being headed by the sub-divisional magistrate of the area where the school falls.

The matter came to light recently, after a group of female students from the school shot off letters to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and National Commission for Women (NCW) detailing their ordeal. Speaking about the nature of allegations made by the students, Jind Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Imran Raza, on Sunday, October 29, said that they have claimed that the principal used to "indulge in obscene acts" with them.

The accused had allegedly put up a tinted office door, the police said. Sources said the girls, in their letter to the PMO and NCW, have alleged that the accused used to call them to his office and indulge in obscene acts. The principal also allegedly blackmailed the students by threatening to fail them in practical exams if they disclosed the matter to anyone.

The victims had stated in their complaint that they were willing to reveal everything about the principal if higher authorities from Delhi or Chandigarh came to meet them as they did not want any local teachers or staff members to be involved in the process, sources informed, as noted by PTI.