The head of a madrassa from Lucknow was arrested on Friday night for allegedly sexually assaulting minors at the institution, ANI reported on Saturday. As many as 51 minor girls accused him of molestation.

The police were alerted after girls at the madrassa threw paper slips out of the windows mentioning the sexual abuse. Senior Superintendent of Police (Lucknow) Deepak Kumar entered the madrassa with several police personnel and arrested the manager, Qazi Mohammad Tayyab Ziya, India Today reported.

Kumar told The Times of India that one of the girls had also complained that the inmates were beaten up and tortured when they protested. Additional Superintendent of Police (Lucknow West) Vikas Chander Tripathi said Ziya was booked for molestation, attempted rape, and under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

The minors have been sent to Nari Niketan, a non-governmental organisation for children.