Chamba, June 19
Tension prevails in Bhanjraru and Tissa townships of the district following a rape incident in which the Principal of the local Government Senior Secondary School, Ramanand Gandwal, is allegedly involved.
The local Beopar Mandal today observed a bandh and all shops remained closed in Banjraru and Tissa townships in protest against the incident. Members of the Beopar Mandal, school students and other local residents took out a procession and later presented separate memoranda to the state government through the Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM), Churah, Mr Sanjeev Pathania, demanding action against the accused.
The SDM assured the protesters that the Tissa police had arrested Ramanand Gandwal after an FIR had been lodged with the police. In the FIR, the Principal has been accused of raping a 17-year-old Class X student of his school about 18 days ago. It was stated in the FIR that on May 30, the Principal called the girl from her village, Salawan, in the Tissa area through the peon. The girl was taken to the room of the Principal, who bolted the door and allegedly committed rape.
The Principal asked the girl not to reveal the incident to anybody, while promising her that he would help her clear the school examination and the JBT entrance test of the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education.
However, about two weeks later, the girl disclosed the incident to her family members. The FIR was lodged by the girl accompanied by her parents, leading to the arrest of the Principal.
