Private nursing college principal held on charges of molestation

NASHIK: The Bhadrakali police arrested a 40-year-old principal of a private nursing college in Dwarka locality of Nashik in Maharashtra over the charge of molesting a minor student.

Police filed additional charges under Prevention of Atrocities Act, as the victim belongs to a Scheduled Tribe community, along with sections under BNS and the stringent Pocso Act.

Police said the accused resides at Police Line Road in Pathardi and, that, the principal pulled the victim's "dupatta", touched her inappropriately, and solicited sexual favours, repeatedly, between Aug 5, 2024, and April 29, 2025.

Following the initial complaint, three additional students from the same institution came forward with similar charges. The accused appeared before a city court on Saturday and was remanded in police custody for two days until Monday.

Police said separate arrests would be made for each of the four registered cases adding that the complainants know each other, suggesting that the first complaint may have encouraged the other three students to report their experiences with the principal.