Karnal, Aug. 23 -- The Karnal police on Friday said that they have arrested a school principal for allegedly sexually harassing 11 girl students at a government primary school in Assandh sub-division of the district. The accused was identified as Dayanand Kumar, 55, who was arrested, SP Ganga Ram Punia confirmed. The victims are of different ages from six to eight years, officials said. Police said that the matter came to light earlier this week, when a girl from the school and the same village, told her parents about the harassment, after which they filed a complaint against the principal. Punia said that based on the complaint, an FIR was immediately registered against the principal on August 20 and a team comprising members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and cops from women police station visited the school. "During their school visit for counselling, 10 more girl students narrated similar allegations. Due to the sensitivity of the case, a second FIR was registered against him and he was arrested," he added. Assandh deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Gorakh Pal, who is also the investigating officer in the case, said that the accused was booked under relevant sections of BNS, POCSO and SC/ST Acts. Speaking to media channels, the DSP said, "It was revealed that the accused used to harass the students in their classrooms. He is a widower as his wife died due to cancer a few years back. He has severe health complications and despite that he was indulged in such activities." The DSP also revealed that during investigation it was found that similar allegations were levelled against him six months back at his village, but the matter was settled at the panchayat-level. Karnal CWC chairperson Umesh Chanana said that the committee counselled all the students to help them come out of fear and speak to the authorities about this heinous act. The chairperson also appealed to the parents that despite their busy schedule, they should have a conversation with their children regularly on their daily activities particularly at school and with friends. It is worth mentioning that similar cases came to light in Kaithal and Jind districts in 2023. A school principal of Kaithal's Gulha block was arrested in the first week of December 2023, after at least four girl students accused him of harassment. Just a week prior in November, another school principal was held for harassment of 142 girls in Jind. Following the cases, the then CM Manohar Lal Khattar had asked Haryana State Commission for Women chairperson Renu Bhatia to organise seminars with the police to prevent such incidents in the future....