A day after nearly 12 girl students of a government school in Mothanwali village of Moga accused their principal of sexual harassment and inappropriate touching, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the matter, issuing notices to the Punjab Chief Secretary and the Moga Senior Superintendent of Police, seeking a detailed report within two weeks.

The accused, identified as Amarjit Singh, principal of the Government Middle School, Mothanwali, has been taken into custody by the police, while the state school education department has placed him under suspension.

According to reports, 10 to 12 female students of Classes 6 and 8 have come forward with allegations of molestation against the principal. The matter came to light after one of the students narrated the principal's alleged inappropriate behaviour to her family, claiming that he had threatened to fail the complaining students in their examinations if they spoke up against him.

Following the disclosure, aggrieved family members, along with members of the village Panchayat, confronted the principal on the school premises, leading to a heated commotion and many other girl students leveling the same kind of allegations before police personnel reached the spot and intervened. Police subsequently detained the principal and launched an investigation into the allegations.

Taking serious note of the incident, the NHRC issued notices seeking a comprehensive report from the state authorities within a fortnight, even as the local police probe continues.