Mumbai: 12-year-old held for sexually assaulting classmate

The victim's uncle has blamed the school for the incident. "He is too young to handle this. Apart from the children, the school is also responsible. Our children are not safe despite such high school fees," he said

The Kopar Khairane police on Monday arrested a teacher and a 12-year-old boy in connection with the sexual assault of a minor last month. An 11-year-old boy was allegedly sexually assaulted by two of his male classmates in the school premises in August. The police had booked two minors under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in the case.

According to the police, the incident came to light three days after it took place when the victim's parents found something amiss in his behaviour. The victim's uncle told mid-day that the parents noticed the boy was not going out to play with his friends. "Due to the physical pain, he could not even sit properly," he said.

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The parents soon registered a police complaint. Investigation was, however, delayed as the schools were shut due to heavy rains and the accused had gone missing by then. The police had questioned two children from the school earlier. "Both of them confessed to the crime and revealed two more names including a female teacher who knew about the incident but did not initiate any action against the culprits," a police officer from Kopar Khairane police station said.

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Suryakant Jagadale, senior inspector of Kopar Khairane police station, said, "The case is sensitive. The arrested student is one of the accused who sexually assaulted the victim while the class teacher's role is being ascertained." The victim's uncle has blamed the school for the incident. "He is too young to handle this. Apart from the children, the school is also responsible. Our children are not safe despite such high school fees," he said.

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