Teen Employee Allegedly Assaults Young Girl at Maharashtra School

A seven-year-old student in Maharashtra was allegedly sexually assaulted by a teenage canteen worker. Following the girl's complaint, the 16-year-old accused was detained. The ongoing police investigation includes examining CCTV footage to determine if other students were similarly abused.

A seven-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Palghar district was allegedly sexually assaulted by a teenage canteen worker at her private school, authorities reported on Saturday.

The 16-year-old accused, from Uttar Pradesh, was detained on Friday and sent to a remand home following a police complaint, according to Senior Inspector Ramesh Bhame of Naigaon police station. The distressing incident took place at a school in Naigaon.

The situation was revealed when the second-grader refused to visit the school canteen and told her teacher that an 'uncle' there had been troubling her. Subsequent inquiries disclosed that the alleged assaults had occurred multiple times over the past two weeks.

The school headmaster contacted Naigaon police, leading to the registration of a case under relevant legal sections including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Police have collected CCTV footage from the school and are investigating whether the accused targeted other students as well.

The teen had been working at the canteen for the past two months.