4-year-old student allegedly sexually abused in school

Police reached the school and summoned all the staff for questioning

A four-year-old a pre-nursery student was allegedly sexually abused at a reputed international school at Jalahalli on Tuesday. The incident came to light when the girl complained of pain after returning from school in the afternoon.

According to a source in the police, the girl was crying when the mother picked her up from the school and was not behaving normally. Later, her father observed that she was showing signs of fever. When asked by the mother, she said “uncle beat me”. Police sources say that the girl's mother was shocked to see injuries in her private parts.

The parents immediately shifted her to nearby private hospital where doctors said that there were aberrations in the private parts, which may have been caused by sexual assault. The girl is undergoing treatment and her condition is said to be stable.

The girl's mother lodged a complaint with Jalahalli police alleging sexual assault. Police have registered a case against unidentified persons under Sections 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 and under Section 376 (rape) of Indian Penal Code.

Staff summoned

Within hours after the complaint being lodged, the top brass of the city police, including Commissioner M.N. Reddi, were camping in the school premises. Mr. Reddi told The Hindu that while a medical examination is yet to be carried out, police had taken up the investigation in full swing. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Malleswaram sub-division) Sarah Fathima has been appointed as the investigating officer.

All the staffers of the school — teaching and non-teaching — were summoned to the institution after school hours for questioning, which went on till late in the night.

A senior police officer said that the school had the prescribed number of CCTV cameras. A special team had been formed and was poring over Tuesday’s footage. No suspects had been noted till this report was filed. The officer said that would happen only if either the girl identifies the perpetrator or police notice suspicious movement of any staff on the CCTV footage.

Second shocker

In July this year, a six-year-old girl was sexually abused by a staffer at an international school in Marathahalli. The incident had triggered widespread outrage leading to a set of safety measures being enforced by the police in schools across the city.