Minor rape victim's mother demands strong action against school

The mother of a four-year-old girl sexually assaulted by a classmate in west Delhi school demanded on Thursday strong action against school staff whose laxity led to the crime in a classroom last week.

"I am shocked to share that my child, a student of a school in Sector-7 in Dwarka, was sexually assaulted by one of her minor classmates while the teacher was outside, leaving an attendant (ayah) to look after the children on November 17. The incident happened during school hours on school premises due to the teacher's negligence," she said in a statement here.

The woman said the development was traumatic for her and her husband. She alleged that she texted the class teacher and coordinator to inform them about the crime, but they did not take it seriously.

She said she then took her daughter to a paediatrician, who suggested a medical examination. Once the sexual assault was confirmed, she was asked to file a case.

A case of rape under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 21 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act was registered by the Delhi Police on a complaint by the girl's mother.

"The school principal appeared casual about the entire incident, as if I was reporting the loss of my child's belongings or talking of a physical injury. She asked me to speak to the counsellor and assured that school authorities will meet on (next) Monday morning to resolve the issue," the girl's mother said.

On Monday (November 20), once an FIR had been lodged, the girl showed police the scene of the crime and said there was no teacher around in the classroom. She narrated the events before the Metropolitan Magistrate.

"The teacher's negligence is very clearly visible from closed-circuit television footage. I paid a bomb as school fee, handed them my child in the hope that she is safe in school, only to be let down," the woman said.

"The matter is under investigation. We have filed an FIR on the basis of a complaint received as per the law. We are examining the CCTV footage from the school," Special Commissioner of Police Depender Pathak said.

As per the Indian Penal Code, children below the age of seven are given protection against prosecution. The girl has been provided counselling. - IANS