The new city police commissioner M. N. Reddi on Tuesday visited the private school in Marathahalli, where a six-year-old girl was allegedly raped, to meet parents and school authorities.
He told The Hindu that he visited the scene of crime as he had not been handling the case from day one. He also reviewed the security measures at the school. He said that parents are willing to send their wards to school only after they are assured of the security at the school. He said that the city police would work with the school authorities to ensure security at the school. Sources said that some crucial locations did not have CCTV cameras. Police have also noted that entry into the premises is not sufficiently guarded. All these have been brought to the notice of the school authorities, who have promised corrective measures.
A parent, who is a part of the core committee, said that parents are hoping to send their children to school from next week. “We are hoping to initiate a discussion with the management on Monday. We are not giving them an impossible deadline. We want basic security before the children go back to school,” the parent said. They want an education department official to oversee the functioning of the school for a while. However, education department officials expressed their inability to do so as it is an unaided institution.
RecommendationsAmita Prasad, Principal Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development, appreciated the steps taken to ensure the child’s safety while leaving the school, but stressed on the importance of ensuring safety inside the premises, given the circumstances of the sexual assault that occurred on July 3.
One of her recommendations to Primary and Secondary Education Minister Mr. Kimmane Ratnakar was chalking out a ‘child safety and action plan’ by all schools in the State so that a child is not left vulnerable in the premises.
