67-year-old teacher rapes minor inside madrasa in Delhi

Accused arrested after victim’s parents informed police

A nine-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 67-year-old teacher inside a madrasa in Narela area here on February 25, following which the accused was arrested on Tuesday.

The girl is currently undergoing treatment at BR Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini. A doctor said that although the girl was traumatised, her condition is stable. A team of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) is camping at the hospital to assist the victim’s family.

The police said that the madrasa teacher, identified as Zakhir Alam, was arrested late on Tuesday night after the victim’s parents made a call to the police control room (PCR) at 9.55 p.m. and informed them about the incident. The police said that the accused was taken to the hospital for medical examination and his samples were collected for forensic examination. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime accepting it was a ‘big mistake’ by him. He has been sent to judicial custody.

The victim’s maternal aunt said that the girl’s mother is differently abled, therefore, the victim along with her three other siblings stays with her in a shanty next to her house. On Sunday, the girl along with eight other children went to the madrasa to study. She returned a little late and immediately went to sleep after dinner. She didn’t speak to any one for the next two days.

“On Tuesday when I was leaving for work, a neighbour informed me that the girl was bleeding from her private parts and that I should take her to a doctor. When I took her [victim] to a local doctor, he asked me to go a better hospital on suspicion of sexual assault,” said the aunt who works as a rag picker.

Victim was threatened

“I returned home and informed my husband about the suspicion of sexual assault. He called the women helpline and the police about the case and the girl was taken to BR Ambedkar Hospital for treatment where doctors confirmed sexual assault. The police was informed,” she added.

“She kept cleaning blood oozing out of her private parts after the assault for the past two days before it was detected by a neighbour who alerted me. She was hiding the assault as she was threatened by the madrasa teacher of dire consequences. She shivered and collapsed while narrating her horrifying ordeal,” said the victim’s maternal aunt.

Teaching for 4 years

The accused is an Arabic language teacher who is teaching at the madrasa for the past four years, the police added.

The police have registered a case under Sections 354 (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, against the accused. A probe is underway, said police.

Meanwhile, reacting on the incident, DCW chief Swati Maliwal tweeted, “Feeling sick to the core. Seeing child rape survivor is gut wrenching. Her eyes, her pain, her trauma is inexpressible. 9 year old rape survivor has suffered severe injuries. Who is responsible? Both system and society - for its their deafening silence which ensures status quo (sic).”