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Female warden booked for molesting minor girl in Mumbai School.
Based on the complaint received, a case under the Indian Penal Code section for outraging modesty and under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered against the female caretaker.
A case has surfaced in the western suburbs of Mumbai where a minor girl was allegedly molested by a 52-year-old female caretaker on her school premises. However, the parents have refused to come forward and register an FIR; the case was registered after the police received a complaint from a third party.
The police said that it was the class teacher who first noticed that the 3-year-old was depressed during school hours. The student refused to reveal anything to the teacher. “The girl, however, confided in her classmate, who informed the teacher. The principal was immediately informed. The case has not come from the minor's parents," said a police officer.
The school has gone on the defensive saying that the complaint was made to malign the image of the school. "The didi (female caretaker) has been with the school for the past 6 years and is over 50 years of age. The allegations cannot be true. The child was not adjusting in school and hence the parents wanted to leave. The parents have changed her school after we refunded the fees. We, in fact, did not know about the case until the police came to the school," said the principal. "We know that the parents have written to the police that they are not associated with the complaint. We have recorded our statements and are co-operating with the police," she added.
Since the minor’s parents have not officially lodged a complaint with the police, no arrests have been made. Based on the complaint received, a case under the Indian Penal Code section for outraging modesty and under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered against the female caretaker.
The complaint stated: "The schoolteacher alerted the principal that the female caretaker had molested one of the girl students during school hours. Though the victim told her parents about it too, they were not ready to lodge a complaint."
Meanwhile, the local education department has already swung into action and directed officers yesterday to investigate the case. "We immediately sent a representative to the school to meet the principal and know about the case. We will file a report," said Nitin Bachhav, education inspector, western zone.
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Image courtesy – Mid Day