Rape rumour sparks chaos in Bhandup

A school was allegedly vandalised and a police station gheraoed by an angry mob in Bhandup after unidentified miscreants spread a rumour that a four-year-old girl had been raped inside the school. The girl's shocked parents, however, have denied the incident and said she was hurt a few days ago while playing with friends in the local park.

This denial though had little effect as the girl was sent to a local hospital to be checked for signs of sexual assault. Local political leaders, quick to seize an opportunity to show off their clout, ransacked the school and forced the cops to ‘investigate' the matter.

According to the parents of the girl, a junior KG student, she came home bleeding a few days ago from the playground and told them that she had got hurt in her private parts, while playing with her friends.

On Friday evening however, rumours started spreading that a girl had been raped inside her school premises. According to the police officials, political activists belonging to different parties in Bhandup started creating chaos outside the police station late night on Friday. On Saturday some of them entered the school and damaged classrooms and furniture.

"We don't know who has been spreading such rumours. Somelocal leaders arrived at the police station last evening, with the parents of the girl," said senior police inspector of Bhandup police station, Shrirang Nadgauda. "The parents have been denying any sexual assault on their child and no one has lodged a complaint either," he added.

The girl was later sent to JJ Hospital for a medical examination. An officer investigating the case told SUNDAY MiD DAY that initial medical reports did not suggest any sexual assault, though a final report is awaited. The girl has been called to the hospital again on Monday.

When contacted, local MNS leader Shishir Shinde said, "I was at home when I came to know about the incident. I went to the police station to enquire into the matter. I have met the parents of the victim who are in a state of shock."

Sardar Tarasingh from BJP said, "I went to the police station to enquire and speak to the people gathered there. I spoke to the parents who claimed the girl had not been abused or assaulted and that the accident occurred on Tuesday when their daughter was playing with her friends and got injured."u00a0