Online Desk: Students and parents of a school in Cumilla’s Debidwar on Wednesday staged a protest against the headmaster of a school and confined him for allegedly sexually harassing a Grade-X female student. They were protesting at the Mashikara High School ground in Debidwar upazila since Wednesday afternoon. Meanwhile, the angry mob vandalized two motorcycles used by the headmaster Moktol Hossain and his son-in-law and set them on fire, according to UNB reports.

The mob also vandalized a CNG-run auto-rickshaw and some doors of the school’s classroom. Debidwar-Bipara (Circle) Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Md Amirullah and Officer-in-Charge Kamal Krishna went to the spot around 9:30pm. Various law enforcers were present there and trying to control the situation. At around 8 pm, the protesters started throwing stones at the police. Police fired several rounds of bullets to bring the situation under control, but 10-12 people were seriously injured.

The injured were taken to Debidwar Upazila Health Complex and Cumilla Medical College Hospital. The incident with the victim student happened around 8:30 am yesterday, according to students and locals. In the afternoon the students, parents and locals protested against him and demanded his withdrawal. UP Chairman Humayun Kabri, and other members of the school, teachers and prominent people of the area, were unable to bring the situation under control. Some people in favour of the principal came and attacked the students. At least 25-30 students were injured in the attack. according to students Nayeem Khandakar, Md Nayeem and Jahidul Islam.

The injured students were given treatment at the Health Complex in Debidwar Upazila. All the injured are students from classes nine and 10 of the school, they said. According to police, locals and students, Moktol made sexual advances to female students at various times. Asked about the allegations, Motkol said, “This is a conspiracy against me.” The ASP and Debidwar OC were called several times for comments but they were unreachable. The situation was still tense in the area at the time of filing this report at 10 pm.