Minor’s suicide over alleged sexual assault by headmaster raises concern over security of lady college students

By Express News Service

ROURKELA: The loss of life of a Class X lady who ended her life after allegedly being sexually assaulted by the headmaster on Friday is nothing lower than tragic however the incident may simply be the tip of the iceberg with sporadic instances being reported from all around the state whereas many going unreported.    

Only after the Friday incident, during which the 16-year-old  jumped to loss of life from the two-storey hostel constructing of Patuadihi Panchayat High School, in Lefripada block, after allegedly being sexually abused by the headmaster, some college students gathered the braveness to open up concerning the abusive behaviour of the accused headmaster Shyam Sundar Patel (54). 

However, this isn’t an remoted case. In the previous 12 months, two college headmasters have been booked in separate instances for sexually abusing lady college students in Kuanrmunda and Rajgangpur blocks. In six to eight years, three authorities college lecturers in Lefripada, Bargaon and Lahunipada blocks within the district have been forwarded to courtroom over related prices.     

Sundargarh district has 514 hostels of the SC & ST division and 69 hostels of the School & Mass Education division, with 48,906 college students. Of these, 50 p.c are women aged six to 16 years. This aside, there are two Anwesha hostels aside from over two dozen hostels of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, Eklavya Residential Model Schools and Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas. 

Majority of the scholars in these faculties come from rural and poor socio-economic backgrounds. Locals have alleged that had there been strict and immediate motion previously, the incidents of sexual abuse wouldn’t have risen as a lot. But such instances proceed to happen and plenty of go unreported with the traumatised victims not in a position to communicate up. There ought to be a system of counselling the place the victims can communicate up in a pleasant and fearless ambiance with counsellors if not mother and father, they stated.

District Project Officer for Life Skill Education beneath the ST & SC division Munmun Mohapatra stated rigorous counselling programmes protecting security and safety, well being, hygiene and related points are being held for lady college students. School authorities are additionally getting frequently educated on the related points.  

Meanwhile, Patel, the accused headmaster, was produced in courtroom beneath sections 305 of IPC and 10 of POCSO Act.  

Sundargarh SP Sagarika Nath stated the investigation is underway and additional sections could also be added throughout the submitting of the cost sheet primarily based on discovering. 

How protected are faculties, hostels?

In Sundargarh, 514 hostels of SC & ST division
69 hostels of the School & Mass Education division
48,906 college students of which 50 p.c are women aged six to 16 years. 
Two Anwesha hostels
Over two dozen hostels of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, Eklavya Residential Model Schools and Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas. 
None of the establishments have a sturdy counselling mechanism for college students to talk up