Child rights experts have expressed “serious objections” to the transfer of a coach who has been accused of molesting a minor student at a government-run residential school and sports centre in the city.
After the girl complained to the authorities, the coach was transferred to another centre in Dharward, and a female coach was brought in his stead. However, child rights activists have demanded that the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports suspend the accused.
The allegation of sexual abuse was raised by a class 9 student. Manjunath allegedly misbehaved with her, twice in school and once during a train journey to Visakhapatnam when she and a few other students were headed for a sports meet. Following that, she filed a complaint with the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports, which has jurisdiction over the school.
A complaint has been lodged with the Chikkajala police, and a report based on the internal inquiry conducted by the department has been submitted to the police.
The Karnataka State Child Protection Policy clearly states that any person booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 should be suspended.
Vasudev Sharma, executive director of Child Rights Trust, said it was wrong to shield such a person. “Transferring him is a knee-jerk reaction and will endanger students at the other centre. Besides, if he is still a coach, he would have access and could with tamper with the inquiry,” he said.
Kripa Amar Alva, chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, too, has recommended suspending the coach until he is proven innocent. “There is no question of a compromise or [taking the] middle path on this,” she said, adding that the commission would issue orders to the department seeking the man’s suspension
According to Anupam Agarwal, Director of the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports, the coach was transferred on November 30 as a precautionary measure before the First Information Report was registered. “Now that the FIR has been registered, subsequent action will follow. Mr. Manjunath was hired on contract basis,” he said.
