Bengaluru: A three-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted on her school campus in Indiranagar. Police said they received a complaint and are investigating a case of suspected sexual assault, based on information provided by the survivor’s parents.
A doctor from Bowring Hospital, where the child was taken, said: “The parents brought the child to the hospital around 5pm. They were accompanied by a woman police officer. When they picked up the child from school around 12.30pm, she was crying and complaining of abdomen pain. The parents found bruises on her private parts. Tests are still going on,” the doctor said around 10.30pm.
The child is a pre-nursery student. Her father works with a restaurant. The family lives in east Bengaluru.
“We received a complaint from the family of a three-year-old child alleging sexual assault. We are verifying the details. The parents said the child is crying ‘Uncle, school’ to all their queries. The time of incident is not clear. Medical tests have been conducted and results are awaited. We can’t say anything more as the matter is under investigation,” DCP (East) N Satish Kumar told TOI.
Police quoted school authorities as saying the campus is covered by CCTV cameras and no case of sexual abuse has been caught on them. Angry scenes prevailed at Bowring Hospital as well-wishers of the girl’s family gathered and demanded that they be allowed inside to see the child.
A family friend present in hospital said the parents rushed to Indiranagar police station late Monday afternoon and told officers what had happened. The child was later taken to Bowring Hospital. “Medical tests are under way. Police are questioning some school staffers,” the neighbour added.
City police booked a case under various sections of the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012, and the IPC’s Section 376 (rape).
This is the first case of sexual assault on a school campus reported in the city this year. Last year, a spate of assaults were reported on school campuses, sparking protests by parents.
The police and education departments stipulated a string of norms be followed on campuses. Schools, though reluctant, had to fall in line. CCTV coverage of campuses, GPS tracking of buses, background checks on staffers and attendants on campus were among the several measures to be implemented by schools.
(Agencies)
