- Multiple students at an Odisha school accused a male warden of harassment
- The warden allegedly touched girls inappropriately and dragged them against will
- Boys reporting incidents faced harsh physical and mental punishment at school
Multiple students, both girls and boys, of an Odisha school have accused a male warden of physical and sexual harassment. Sandhya Darshan Mahapatra, warden at the Red Cross School for the Blind, Deaf, and Mute in Paramanandapur, Kalahandi, is accused of touching girls inappropriately and dragging them against their will.
Boys at the school say reporting such incidents led to harsh physical and mental punishment.
Footage and written complaints reportedly show the physically impaired students signalling distress through gestures. District authorities have formed a committee to probe the complaints.
In the videos, the warden is seen making inappropriate physical contact with a girl student, despite her clear discomfort. He touches her back and shoulder. In another image, he is seen touching a girl's arm in a secluded, dark corner of the school.
Kalahandi District Child Protection Officer Shailendu Mahapatra confirmed that complaints had been received and that a committee, headed by the Additional District Magistrate (ADM-General), was formed to investigate.
“We have received complaints against some employees regarding the harassment and sexual exploitation of children,” he told NDTV. “A report will be submitted to the District Collector, after which appropriate action will be taken. The preliminary investigation has been completed. If the allegations against the concerned individual are proven to be true, strict legal action will be taken according to the law. At this time, detailed information cannot be shared. The facts will only come to light after the final report is submitted by the committee.”
(With inputs from Dev Kumar Ghosh)
