Mandya, Dec 17 (IANS): Karnataka Education Department on Saturday suspended a headmaster whom girls chased and beat up with brooms for sexually harassing them.

The Commissioner of Karnataka Public Instruction Department Dr R. Vishal has released the suspension order in this regard. The police department has lodged a POCSO case against the accused and arrested him.

The incident took place in a girl's hostel of Katteri village in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district on Wednesday night. The accused, a headmaster of a higher primary school was given charge of the hostel. He visited the hostel every evening and would invite girls to his room.

The students alleged that the accused headmaster used to show them porn videos and touched them inappropriately. He threatened that if they revealed anything, he would ensure that the students get a bad character remark on their transfer certificates.

The students claimed that they tolerated him for years. On Wednesday evening, the accused called a girl to his room in the hostel and tried to sexually harass her.

When the girl screamed for help, all the girls came together and beat him with brooms and sticks. They chased him all over the hostel and after thrashing him, they informed the police.

The villagers also gathered near the hostel and demanded legal action against the accused. Cops attached to KRS police station rushed to the spot and took him into custody.