The Amruthalli police arrested a 21-year-old dance instructor on the charge of allegedly sexually assaulting a four-year-old pupil at a non-residential summer camp on May 3. The suspect, Peter, was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on Thursday and remanded in judicial custody.
Peter had been hired by a private school in Kempapura for dances classes for children. The organiser of the camp, who hired Peter, has also been arrested. Investigators are also contemplating taking action against the school management for suspected lapses.
According to the police, the alleged incident occurred on Tuesday. The child’s parents realised that something was amiss the next day when they saw bruises on her body. She was also complaining of a stomach ache.
The parents first took her to a private hospital where a doctor, upon an initial examination, suggested more tests.
Alarmed, the parents took the girl to Baptist Hospital in Hebbal. Doctors cited sexual assault in their report and alerted the cops on the severity of the case, said a police officer. They are waiting for the DNA forensic report.
Based on their complaint, police arrested Peter on Thursday. “After we questioned him, he confessed to the crime,” said P.S. Harsha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (north east division).
About the suspect
Enquiries revealed that Peter is a college drop-out who dabbled in dance and choreography. He took up jobs as a junior artiste in cultural programs, but did not have a stable income.
In April, he had approached the organiser of the summer camp, Bharath (39), seeking a job. He was hired as a dance teacher. The police have arrested Bharath, (39), a resident of R.T. Nagar, and booked him under various sections of POCSO.
The police inspected the scene of the alleged crime. The hall where the classes were conducted did not have any CCTV camera, they noted.
