The principal of a school in Jharkhand’s Koderma district on Sunday admitted to sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl, but said it was not “such a big mistake” as there was no sexual intercourse, NDTV reported.

The 67-year-old man was arrested on Saturday, a day after the girl’s parents filed a police complaint. He has been sent to jail for 15 days.

“Yes I did, but it was not such a big mistake,” said S Xavier, principal of Telaiya Public School. “There was no sexual intercourse. Let me be frank, I could not even have done it. I am old now. It was an accident.”

Xavier tried to play down the crime by claiming he was under a lot of work-related stress and suffered from heart problems and insomnia.

The principal allegedly took the girl, a kindergarten student, to the school toilet on Wednesday, made her remove her clothes and made sexual advances. When she started to cry, he allegedly gave her money and told her to not tell anyone about the incident.

Xavier has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.