Parents on protest march, meet Police Commissioner

Bangalore: Tempers are running high in Bangalore where over a 1000 parents have gathered to voice their protest against the rape of a six-year-old in a school in the city.

They took out a silent protest from the school till the HAL police station ground and met the Police Commissioner. The Commissioner has assured the parents that thorough investigation will be carried out and stringent action will be taken.

Earlier, the angry protesters had said that they will block the roads if the Police Commissioner did not meet them. The parents have handed over a list of security concerns that they want the police to address.

The Additional Commissioner of Police Law and Order said that eight school staff members have been detained and over 90 people have been questioned so far in the case. However, no arrests have been made as yet.

“The investigation is going on. We have detained 8 school staffers. Initial inputs given to us are not specific so we are verifying the details. CM has reviewed the situation. We will bring this case to a logical end,” the Additional Commissioner of Police said.

The incident came to light after the traumatized child reached home at around 1 PM on Monday and told her mother how an ‘uncle’ had befriended her, taken her out of school just as her classes were over and sexually assaulted her. She was allegedly assaulted when she came out of her class at around 11 AM on Monday.

Police officials have invoked Section 4 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) against the unidentified person and registered a complaint of rape.

The parents are also extremely agitated as many top schools in Bangalore have asked them to sign a form which says that the schools and their staff are not responsible for the safety of students. The form says that when the child participates in events organised by the school including field trips, excursions and camps, the staff or teachers of the school can’t be held responsible for any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has written to the ICSE board demanding to cancel the recognition of the school. The school will remain shut till Tuesday, the day when the parents are scheduled to meet the school administration.

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