09 February,2013 02:44 AM IST | | Shiva Devnath
Is your child safe in school? It would do you well to find out what kind of security systems are in place at the school that your child goes to: on Tuesday, a young man entered a school in Malad (East), wandered into the ladies' toilet, grabbed and molested a Std X student before trying to flee.
The Vanrai police later arrested the accused, identified as Ravi Dagadu Dhanekar (18). Dhanekar works in a jewellery unit and is a resident of Malad (East). The police said that on Tuesday around 2.30 pm, the accused entered the school campus on the pretext of getting an Aadhar card form, which are being distributed in the premises.
After roaming the grounds for half an hour, he went into the girls' toilet. Chancing upon the Std X schoolgirl, he grabbed her and started touching her inappropriately. The girl and her classmate started screaming to alert the school's security guards, who nabbed him. The classmate, who was present during the incident, is now the prime eyewitness in the case. Santosh Khatke, investigating police officer said, "The school authorities handed over the accused to us on Tuesday. He was produced in a Borivli court the next day, which granted him bail."
Too little, too late?
The school's principal said, "He entered the school campus on the pretext of getting a form for an Aadhar card, and molested our student. We handed him over to the police and registered a complaint against him. We have strictly instructed all teaching and non-teaching staff to wear ID cards and have alerted the watchmen not to allow any outsiders without conducting proper checks." The school supervisor added, "When we caught Ravi as was trying to flee, he answered that he was looking for the gents' toilet."
Dhanekar was booked under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage modesty) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 4, 8, 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The school's higher authorities said that a lot of people came to the campus to get forms for Aadhar cards. Construction work was in progress too.
History of shame
Other cases in which the police have applied the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 this year
January 29
The Vanrai police arrested the watchman of a school in Goregaon (East) for allegedly molesting a 14-year-old Std IX student of the school. He lured her to his cabin, hugged her, and demanded a kiss. The incident took place on January 19.
January 29
The Oshiwara police arrested a 25-year-old man for allegedly raping his five-year-old niece. The man had raped his niece when her mother had stepped out for work.
January 18
The Juhu police arrested Ramesh Rajput, a school bus driver-cum-cleaner for molesting a four year-old girl inside the bus while dropping her home from school.
January 10
70-year-old Niyaz Ahmad Hasan Raza was arrested by the Shivaji Nagar police for sodomising a 13-year-old girl and recording an MMS of the act, which he then circulated. Ansari took the girl to the first floor room of Bilal Masjid in Govandi on the pretext of providing her with notes for a poem, and then repeatedly committed the offence.
