Bengaluru, Sept 14: Panicked parents rushed to a private school in T Dasarahalli on Wednesday, where a four-year-old was allegedly sexually assaulted by a security guard.
As the case grew foggier, angry parents demanded clarity from the school management. “Our children are also studying here. We need to know if the incident happened or not for our peace of mind,” the parents demanded.
To convince them that there was no evidence yet against the staff members, school authorities allowed the parents to view the CCTV footage, along with police officers and the father of the child. “The footage showed the movement of the child from the time she entered the school, till she left. Nothing seemed amiss,” said one parent. Another parent, however, said, “Maybe it did not happen on Tuesday. They should check footage from previous days also.”
The other parents were also agitated over conflicting reports about the whereabouts of the child and demanded a statement from the parents (child’s) to clear their doubts.
“As per our knowledge, no such incident has occurred. The child was unwell and vomited in class. She was in the school from about 9.15 am to 1.30 pm,” a member of the school management said. He added that guards are not allowed in the area of the school where classes are conducted. “We have all security measures in place, such as CCTV cameras and ID cards for parents,” he added.
Education department officials visited the school to enquire about the incident. Deputy Director of Public Instruction for Bengaluru North, Abdul Wajid Khaji said, “From our inquiry and viewing of footage, it appears that no incident of sexual assault took place on the school premises. However, we will wait for the medical reports.” The officials will visit the child once she recovers from fever, along with a counsellor. “The school is following all the prescribed safety norms. We will submit a detailed report to the government,” he said.
Kripa Amar Alva, chairperson of Karnataka State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) visited the school. She said that they would await medical reports before further action.
Rashmi D’Souza, member of National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development attached to the union ministry of women and child development, visited the mother and child at their residence close to the school.
“The child has fever and the mother is very disturbed. The child told the mother that ‘the guard uncle is bad’. The mother is not sure if sexual assault took place or not and the family is also waiting for the medical reports,” D’Souza said.
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