The accused had taken 15 girls with him to Alibaug for a lagori tournament; he touched the girls inappropriately in the swimming pool and molested a 14-year-old when she was asleep on the bus
The teacher, Sameer Raut, had been teaching the girls lagori since July this year. Pic for representation
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The NM Joshi Marg police has arrested a sports teacher of a Lower Parel-based municipal school on charges of molesting students. As per the FIR, the accused Sameer Raut, took the girls on the pretext of a tournament to Alibaug, and molested one of them during the journey. The 14-year-old survivor has alleged in her statement that Raut had molested other girls too and the cops are investigating her allegations.
The survivor has given a three-page statement to the cops about the way Raut molested her and others in the school. The girl told cops that in the month of July, their physical training teacher introduced them to Raut for training them for lagori.
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Raut selected just around 15 girls from Std VII-IX, including the complainant, though it is a co-ed school. The training immediately started in the school in the mornings.
Preying on girls
During the training, the survivor and few other girls noticed that one of the girls was called by Raut to the sports room alone for 10 to 15 mins everyday. Once when she and her friends asked the girl the reason for this, she didn't say anything.
The survivor in her statement also said that there was a wrestling match in July this year and there were two girls including her in the competition. Raut had trained one of the girls. The survivor said that she learnt from the other girl that Raut, while training her, touched her inappropriately.
Fake tourney
The survivor has also spoken about a fake tournament, which Raut cooked up and took them to participate in. She has said that Raut told the 15 girls that on July 16 and 17, there will be a lagori tournament at Alibaug, and for that the girls would have to pay Rs 2,000 each. She informed her parents and got R1,000, which she gave to Raut for the tournament. However, Raut said that because of heavy rains the tournaments were postponed.
The training then continued until July 30, as Raut allegedly told them the tournaments are on July 30 at Alibaug. The survivor said that early that morning she left her house and reached Currey Road station. She and the other 14 girls proceeded with Raut in a bus for Alibaug.
Swimming pool
Raut along with 15 girls stayed at a hotel at Alibaug. Raut told the girls since there was enough time for tournaments, they could play in the swimming pool. While all the girls were in the pool, Raut told the survivor that they would play a game and pull everyone’s leg, which she refused to do. Raut went ahead with it.
Raut then asked all the girls to come out of the pool and sit in the sun. The survivor said that he then stared at them making them uncomfortable.
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Later, Raut told them that the tournament was cancelled and they would return to Mumbai. They took the bus and left for Mumbai. While traveling, all the girls except the survivor were sitting behind and talking. While the survivor sat ahead, Raut went and sat besides her. She had fallen asleep and woke up to find Raut touching her inappropriately. She also alleged that he also forcibly took her hand and made her touch his private parts.
Parent says
Speaking to mid-day, the father of the girl said, “Raut told all the girls not to inform about cancellation of tournaments as we won't like that. I sent my daughter for the tournament to Alibaug because I trusted the school, as even I studied there. But never expected something like this would happen.”
N M Joshi police station filed a case under Section 354 of IPC and various sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act( POCSO ). Raut was arrested after the complaint.
Police speak
DCP Pravin Padwal of Zone 3, told mid-day, “The girl approached us and narrated the whole incident, accordingly an FIR was filed on September 2, under section 354 (molestation) of IPC and POCSO. We have arrested Raut and he is currently in judicial custody.”
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