Emotions ran high as hundreds of people, including school and college students and members of several civic organisations,of took part in a procession on Saturday demanding justice for the six-year-old, who was raped in a school in Marathahalli.
The protesters, many of whom were dressed in black and sported black bands and displayed placards, went on a peaceful march from the school in Marathahalli to the HAL police station. Later they assembled at a ground near the police station and demanded that City Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar should meet them. Following pressure from the protestors, Mr. Auradkar came to the venue and tried to pacify the protesters. However, the protestors consisting of students from several colleges, members of several civic organisations, parents and individuals were not satisfied with the Commissioner’s assurance that action would be initiated against the school.
A group of parents submitted a memorandum to him with a list of 10 key demands. Making the school management accountable to the crime and ensuring no tampering of evidence takes place in this case were among the specific demands. Besides, they also demanded that schools should follow prescribed safety and security standards, which could be audited from time to time.
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Some of the parents have also said that the school should not be closed down as the future of their wards would be at stake. The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) on Friday had decided to write to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) board recommending withdrawal of recognition of the school at Marathahalli.