Sambalpur: Sexual Harassment Allegation Against Principal of Madnawati Public School; Victim Blamed Instead of Getting Justice, Teacher Files Complaint with SP

Teacher Files Complaint with Sambalpur SP

Sambalpur: A female teacher from Madnawati Public School, under the jurisdiction of Ainthapali police station, has accused the school principal of repeated sexual harassment.

Ignored Complaints Lead to Police Action

The teacher initially reported the issue to the school management committee. However, when no action was taken, she finally approached the Sambalpur Superintendent of Police (SP) to file a formal complaint.

Continuous Harassment by the Principal

According to the complaint, the teacher has been working at the school since June 2024. She stated that the principal, Benudhar M. Naidu, repeatedly misbehaved with her. He often made inappropriate comments about her appearance, saying, “You look attractive; why don’t you maintain a relationship with me?”

On one occasion, he called her outside the classroom and shared personal details about his married life, saying, “My wife is arrogant and always fights with me. We no longer have a good relationship. You are mature and attractive; you should be with me if you want to continue working here.”

Mental and Emotional Trauma

The teacher, already in distress due to her father’s recent passing, found the principal’s behavior deeply troubling. She experienced severe emotional distress and reported the incident to female colleagues at the school.

Public Humiliation and Lack of Support

In another shocking incident, the principal publicly humiliated her by calling her a student’s “girlfriend” in front of others. Despite raising this issue with the school management, they only promised to resolve it by March 31 but did nothing. Instead, they labeled her as a “controversial teacher” for speaking up.

Even the principal’s wife insulted the teacher. With no internal redressal system, she had no choice but to take her complaint to the police.

Lack of Sexual Harassment Cell

As per Supreme Court guidelines, every school must have a Sexual Harassment Redressal Cell, but Madnawati Public School does not have one. This failure to follow legal mandates worsened the situation for the teacher.

Call for Strict Action

The teacher has urged the Sambalpur SP to conduct a thorough investigation and take strict action against the principal. When contacted, the school chairman did not respond to any inquiries.