Yadgir, (Karnataka) Nov 13 (IANS): In a shocking development, a principal of a residential school in Karnataka's Yadgir district has been arrested on charges of sexually harassing female students, police said on Saturday.

The accused has been identified as Hayyalappa, the Principal of Kittur Rani Chennamma Residential School located at Varkanalli near Yadgir.

According to the police, Hayyalappa was sexually harassing girl students by promising them good marks in their class 10 examinations.

He threatened the girls to cooperate with him and dragged them in public. He also harassed those who objected to his advances by preventing them from having food in the hostel mess, the police said.

The students who could not bear his torture anymore, submitted an eight page complaint to the Deputy Commissioner, Ragapriya.

After listening to the woes of students, Ragapriya directed his officers to immediately lodge a complaint against the accused.

Following the complaint in the City Women's Police station, the police arrested the principal and sent him to judicial custody.

Superintendent of Yagdgir, S.B. Vedamurthy, stated that the accused harassed girl students by promising them good marks in internals and threatened them to cooperate with him.

The police have booked him under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Further investigations are on.