Mumbai Crime: Malad school peon held for raping 4-year-old girl

A peon from a Malad school has been arrested for sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl. The incident came to light on Tuesday, when angry parents from the school and locals gathered at the school after learning of his arrest, to protest the school's inaction over the incident. The Dindoshi police arrested the accused on August 6, a day after the child's mother filed an FIR.

Medical report awaited
Rajaram Vhanmane, senior police inspector of the Dindoshi police station told mid-day, "We registered the FIR on Saturday and the accused was arrested on Sunday. He has been booked under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 6 and 8 of the POCSO Act. The accused has been remanded in police custody till August 11. Further investigation will continue after the report of the child's medical examination comes in."

"The parent has complained that the act continued for four days. She suspected something was wrong after she smelled an ointment or gel on her daughter's clothes and body. The school already has CCTV installed, especially in the passage with the two toilets used by the class. The CCTV footage will also be checked," said another police official.

School didn't pay heed
"I had approached the school teacher and said that there is something wrong with my child. But I did not get a considerate response. I told them I will approach the police with my complaint, but they continued to give me the cold shoulder. So I approached the Dindoshi police station on August 5 to register the FIR," said the child's mother who was also present at Tuesday's protest.

The child had been admitted to the school just this year in the nursery section, the classes for which are held from 11.30 am to 1.30 pm. The nursery class has two toilets, where the incident allegedly took place. Two attendants have been appointed at both toilets; parents expressed more anger on how both remained unaware of the crime.

Irate parents have put forth several demands in front of the school administration, beginning with having the whole school under CCTV surveillance and giving access to the same to parents on their mobile phones. They have also asked for the resignation of the principal, concerned class teacher and attendant.

'Will look into demands'
The principal of the school kept mum for a long time on Tuesday. However after the mob turned violent, the principal said, "We are cooperating with the police investigation. We will look into demands presented by parents." When asked about complainant's allegation of the school trying to suppress the complaint, the principal repeated the same response.

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