Accused, Vijay Nishad (left); victim, Rani Vishwakarma (Special arrangement photo)The principal of a school in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur allegedly strangled a 27-year-old teacher inside a car before driving to the neighbouring Deoria district and dumping her body in bushes.Deoria police arrested the accused, Vijay Nishad, 36, on Tuesday. Nishad, who is married, allegedly told police that he and the victim, Rani Vishwakarma, had been in a relationship for the past few years and that she had been pressuring him to marry her.Rani had been teaching at the school since 2018.Her family members and local residents staged a protest in Gorakhpur, demanding compensation and the demolition of the accused’s school and houses. Protesters also blocked the road and claimed that others besides Nishad were involved, demanding their arrest.The unrest eased only after police and district administration officials reached the spot and promised that their demands would be sent to the government for consideration and that the role of others would be examined during the probe.The accused has been booked on charges of murder and destruction of evidence, a police officer added.According to police, the case came to light on Saturday when the unclaimed body of a woman was found by the roadside in the Rudrapur area of Deoria. With no belongings near her, she could not be identified at first.Police said they circulated her photograph on social media, and she was soon identified as Rani from the Jangha area of Gorakhpur.Story continues below this adPolice contacted her family, who said she had gone to school and not returned home. They reached out to school staff, relatives and friends, but no one could tell them where she was.Also Read | UP man accused of raping, killing toddler injured in encounter, aide’s house razed partiallyPolice said the family suspected the principal’s role, alleging that he had been harassing Rani for some time and that she was upset.Police traced Nishad and took him into custody.During questioning, Nishad allegedly told police that he had asked Rani to accompany him in his car on Saturday. After driving some distance, he stopped to talk to her. But a heated argument broke out, during which he allegedly strangled her, police said.Station Officer of Jangha police station in Gorakhpur, Gyanendra Singh, said the situation is normal now.