A West Bengal court Monday granted bail to the school principal who was arrested following the death of a minor girl student after she was allegedly ragged inside the school in North 24-Parganas district.

 

 Helen Sarkar was granted bail on a Rs.5,000 bond, her counsel Subhas Dutta said.

 

 Sarkar, principal of the Christ Church School in Dum Dum, was arrested Thursday night and subsequently remanded to three days' police custody following protests by parents who blamed her for the death of 10-year-old Oindrila Das.

 

 The Class 5 student died Wednesday a week after she was allegedly locked up inside the school toilet by some of her seniors who demanded money from her.

 

 Sarkar was booked under several non-bailable charges following a police complaint by the dead girl's family.

 

 The protestors Thursday vandalised the school and forced Sarkar to publicly apologise for Oindrila's death as well as step down from the principal's chair.

 

 Over a dozen people have been arrested so far for the vandalism, which has evoked criticism from political parties and Governor M.K. Narayanan.

 

 –Indo-Asian News Service

 and/pm/vt