3-year-old girl raped by school staff in Delhi; accused granted bail by court

The incident came to light on May 1 when the victims mother filed a complaint at Janakpuri police station, alleging that her daughter was sexually assaulted during school hours by the accused.

A three-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 57-year-old staff member inside a private school in west Delhi's Janakpuri area, police said on Friday. The incident came to light on May 1 when the victim's mother filed a complaint at Janakpuri police station, alleging that her daughter was sexually assaulted during school hours by the accused. According to the complaint, the child had gone to the school on April 30, the second day after her admission. After returning home, she complained of pain. When questioned by her mother, the girl said that she was taken to an isolated area in the school, where the man allegedly assaulted her. Based on the complaint, police registered a case under section 64(1) (punishment for rape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Police said the child identified the accused, following which the 57-year-old school caretaker was arrested on May 1. He was later produced before a court and sent to judicial custody. However, he was granted bail by a court in Dwaraka on May 7 despite strong opposition from the prosecution. Police said they are checking CCTV footage on the school premises. Meanwhile, the girl's mother alleged that no proper action was taken immediately after the case was reported. She also said that a school teacher was involved and he was questioned during the police investigation. She further alleged that the child and family were made to wait for several hours at the police station during the inquiry. Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, in a statement, strongly criticised the granting of bail to the 57-year-old caretaker. He also echoed the mother's allegations, claiming that the DCP West threatened the family members instead of cooperating with them. ''Imagine a child being admitted to nursery in a private school and returning home on the very first day, only for the parents to discover that a 57-year-old caretaker raped the child,'' he said. However, police countered the allegations made by the mother and Bharadwaj. A statement by the office of DCP (West) Vichitra Veer said the action was taken immediately after the girl was medically examined. ''During the investigation, the accused was arrested after identification by the victim on the same day, promptly. Statement of the victim was also recorded before the court, and relevant CCTV/DVR footage along with other exhibits were seized as per law,'' the statement said. It said the investigation was conducted in a fair, professional and impartial manner based on scientific evidence, forensic examination, witnesses' statements and the merits of the case. ''Certain media reports alleging harassment or intimidation by police officials are false, baseless and contrary to the actual facts of the investigation. The complainant and the girl were provided a comfortable, child-friendly environment during the inquiry proceedings and were called only for lawful inquiry and counselling purposes, considering the sensitivity of the matter,'' the statement read. ''DCP West has never met the parents of the victim, as alleged on the contrary,'' it read. The statement further said the detailed bail order passed by the court is being examined, and further legal remedies, as per law, are under consideration.