A ruckus, reportedly over a CCTV camera near a girls’ toilet at a Maharashtra school, appeared to take a communal turn with alleged Sangh Parivar supporters attempting to disrobe the Christian principal of the school while chanting “Har Har Mahadev”.

Reports suggested the attackers accused the principal of the D.Y. Patil High School in Talegaon, near Pune, of attempted proselytisation.

An employee of the school told The Telegraph that several men had arrived on Tuesday, accompanying the mother of a student who had a complaint against a teacher.

“They asked if there was a Bible at the school. The principal asked them to go and check with the library, and bring back a Bible if they could find one, or any other religious book like the Bhagavad Gita, which they would find there,” the employee said.

“They were angry and wouldn’t listen. They got hold of him, tore his clothes and hit him.”

In a video circulated widely on Twitter, school principal Alexander Coates Reid is seen in a torn shirt and vest, being chased by a group of men. A man is seen punching him before being restrained by another man.

On Thursday, Marathi news channel News18 Lokmat reported that Bajrang Dal and BJP supporters had gathered at the school with some parents to demand action over the installation of a CCTV near the girls’ toilet. They also alleged attempts by Reid to proselytise.

“The principal does not want to comment as it is a question of the security of the students and staff, as well as his family,” the school employee told this newspaper.

“We have not filed any police complaint, either, because we want a peaceful atmosphere for the school to function…. We don’t recite the Lord’s Prayer in school. These people were making false allegations to give this a religious colour.”

An officer from the Pimpri Chinchwad police commissionerate told this newspaper that a parent had lodged a complaint, which had not yet been converted into an FIR.

“The complaint has three allegations: CCTV inside a girls’ toilet, prayers of a specific religion being conducted, and denial of holidays on Hindu festivals. We found a CCTV only in the corridor outside the toilet,” the officer said.

DCP (Zone 2) Kakasaheb Dole said: “A parent has given an application to the police, which is being inquired into. Action will be taken as per law. The school is conducting its own inquiry into the matter.”