While police arrested Salvi later in the day, a mob of around 150 people, including parents and local political activists, stormed the office of the school principal on Friday morning, blackened his face and assaulted him before dragging him to the Kanjur Marg police station.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Prakash Vani said: “We arrested Avinash today afternoon and produced him before the magistrate’s court where he was remanded to three days in police custody. We are conducting further investigations on whether he had molested other students too. He has been charged under Sections 354 (molestation), Section 377 (unnatural offence) and 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.”

According to principal Pandrinath Salve (52), a group of parents had gathered at the school at around 7.30 am. “Initially, I did not suspect anything. But when I entered my cabin, the mob followed me inside and started assaulting me and beating me up, without any provocation. Some of my staff members and some female teachers tried to intervene, but even they were assaulted,” he said. “Had the parents any complaints against the conduct of any teacher, they should have approached me instead of taking the law into their own hands,” he said.

Shaunak Satpute, the chairman of the school and a High Court advocate, said: “ As of now, we have suspended Avinash pending an enquiry by the school authorities. If found guilty, he shall be dismissed.”