All through their ordeal, three teachers and a female attendant were present but had no clue
Group of parents gathered at the school premises after incident came to light/ Rajesh Gupta
The Kapurbawadi police have arrested a 27-year-old private bus attendant for sexually assaulting around 8 girls studying in Grade 2 of a well-known international school in Thane. The incident took place on the bus when the kids were returning to Thane after a school-organised picnic.
After the incident came to light, parents gathered at the school premises, demanding the suspension of the management staff, including the CEO, principal and school teachers. The parents claim that the school had organised a picnic through a third party without their consent. The parents gathered at the school again at 7.30 am today to protest against the management and demand suspension of those responsible for the kids’ wellbeing during the trip.
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According to the police, a group of Grade 2 students were taken for a day picnic to Kidzania, Ghatkopar, on February 20. The school had organised the trip through Adventure Education Tours. “The incident took place when the kids were returning to Thane. There was a group of 40 students on the bus, all in the age group of 7 to 8 years. The girls claimed that on the pretext of giving sweets and food, the bus attendant had sexually assaulted them,” said a police officer.
Parents speak
The complainant who filed a case at Kapurbawadi police station said, “Around 4 pm on Wednesday, I reached the school and my daughter was upset. When I questioned her, she told me about the sexual assault. I asked her about the teachers and was told three teachers were sitting in the front seat. There was also a female attendant but she was sleeping at the front of the bus. The monster committed the crime on the back seat and the teachers didn't even bother to check what was happening,” the parent said, adding that a few other girls also said they had been molested.
“We found around eight kids had complained about the assault. We approached the management and principal. But she rejected the claims saying no such thing had happened. Since we got no response from the management, we directly approached the police. We stayed at the police station till 2 am and made sure a case was registered,” the complainant said.
According to the complainant, the police visited her house on Wednesday and took her daughter’s statement. “It was too embarrassing for us as she kept asking why it all happened to her. There was no answer to her question. She is just 7 years old and can't understand what really happened,” she added.
Another parent who accompanied a group of parents who met the school management and principal on Wednesday, said, “Firstly, the school arranged a picnic through a third party, which was not known to any of the parents. Now they claim that the third party is involved in the crime and the school management isn’t involved.”
The parent asserted that they are demanding the suspension of the CEO, principal and the three teachers who were present on the bus when the incident took place. “We all will gather again today and ensure no student enters the school premises until action is taken. But we will not stop the SSC and HSC students whose exams are going on,” the parent said.
Accused presented in court
Meanwhile, the police have booked the attendant under Sections 354, 354(a) and 509 of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) Act, 2012.
Amar Singh Jadhav, deputy commissioner of police, Zone V, said, “We have registered a case and have arrested the accused. Further investigation is underway.”
The attendant—Javed Mohammed Khan, 27—is a resident of Goregaon. “He was produced in court and remanded to police custody,” a police officer said.
School begins inquiry, terminates teachers pending probe
After the parents gathered to protest on Wednesday, the school cancelled trips they had organised for other students and also formed an internal committee to inquire into the incident. The three teachers who were on the bus have also been terminated until the inquiry is complete. The protest also saw local political leaders demanding the suspension of those found guilty of negligence.
Speaking with media persons, the school principal said, “We accept that it was an unfortunate incident. We are cooperating with the police in the matter. The kids didn't inform the teachers at the time of the incident and informed their parents later. We got to know of the incident only after a late-night email was sent to us.”
According to the school principal, this is not the first time a picnic was organised through Adventure Education Tours. “We have signed an MOU and for the last 9 years, have been organising local, state-wide and international trips for kids through them,” she said, adding that an internal committee has been formed to investigate the incident and action will be taken as per the findings.
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No. or girls who complained of assault
QUOTE
‘I asked my daughter about the teachers and was told three teachers were sitting on the front seat. There was also a female attendant but she was sleeping at the front of the bus. The monster committed the crime on the back seat and the teachers didn't even bother to check what was happening’
The complainant
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