SCERT official charged with outrage of modesty

JHARSUGUDA: Hundreds of villagers and enraged parents besieged Gandghura Upper Primary School under Brajrajnagar Police limits on Thursday demanding arrest of Deputy Director, State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Bhubaneswar, Srikant Routray. He allegedly molested five girl students of Class VII during his visit to the school on Wednesday. A complaint has also been lodged against him.Reports said that a delegation from SCERT led by Routray had come on a visit to the school on Wednesday afternoon. Routray reportedly asked five girls to answer his queries on MDM and education. The girls alleged that Routray caressed their backs and stomach and even opened the zip behind the dress of one of the girls. Later, they narrated the incident to School Headmistress Nihati Minz. Minz informed School Managing Committee Member Jhasketsan Sahu who took up the matter with villagers and parents. SDPO Sushil Panigrahi and Revenue Officer Saroj Mishra too rushed to the village and promised the villagers that investigation would be conducted.