Dhenkanal Town police on Wednesday arrested principal of Saikrupa Residential Plus II College at Kunjakanta Tusharkant Mohanty on charges of abetting sexual harassment of girl students.
However, Mohanty managed to secure bail from a local court. However, chairman of the institute Annada Prasad Mohanty, the main accused, will be arrested soon, said Dhenkanal police station IIC Manas Ranjan Gadnayak.
Police swung into action following an FIR at the Town police station filed by the District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Anuradha Goswami on Monday night over the alleged sexual torture of girl boarders of the residential college by its chairman Arnada Prasad Mohanty.
Goswami lodged the FIR after conducting an inquiry into the incident. The aggrieved students had reported the matter to the college principal Tusharkant Mohanty on several occasions, but instead of taking any action to restrain the chairman, the principal allegedly used to beat up the complainants instead.
IIC Gadnayak said he had reports that the girl students were forced to watch obscene pictures on mobile handsets by the chairman.
Meanwhile, the college authorities closed the college for five days. However, when contacted the chairman of the college said his rival institutions hatched a conspiracy to blame his institution.
Besides, Mohanty clarified that a few students had not paid college dues and were creating problem when asked to clear the arrears. Moreover, the chairman said some boys were aggrieved for not being allowed to the ladies hostel to participate in a birthday party of an inmate.