(Representative image)

PATNA: The two former female teachers of city’s Saint Xavier’s High School - Nutan Joseph and Indu Anand - were sentenced ten years and seven years rigorous imprisonment respectively in Patna on Friday for sexually assaulting a five-year-old female student inside classroom, two years back.

The special court of Protection of Children from Sexual offences (POCSO) Act judge Ravindra Nath Tripathi while awarding the punishments, also slapped a fine of Rs 20,000 under different section of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and POCSO Act on each of the accused while pronouncing the quantum of punishment to both.

The victim at that time was studying in LKG when Nutan and Indu had sexually assaulted her. The matter had surfaced after the victim had stopped urinating and had complained of acute abdominal pain. Her parents had taken her to three different gynaecologist in the city who said that she had received injuries in her private parts.

The victim had later told her mother that Nutan used to insert fingers in her private parts while Indu used to watch her colleague’s activities. The mother had lodged an FIR with women’s police station against the two teachers on November 3, 2016, following which the duo were arrested on night of November 4 from their residences at Sadaqat Ashram and Chakaram localities. The incident had created much uproar at that time. The teachers were later removed from their job.

Special public prosecutor Suresh Chandra Prasad said that it was Nutan who had sexually assaulted her student on multiple occasions.

“Due to it, ten years imprisonment with Rs 10,000 fine under Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault ) of POCSO Act was awarded to Nutan,” Prasad said.

“While Indu, who had sexually assaulted the student once, was sentenced to seven years in imprisonment and was levied Rs 10,000 fine under Section 4 (penetrative sexual assault) of POCSO Act,” he said adding both were also awarded five years and Rs 10,000 fine under Sections 377 (unnatural sexual offences) and 34 (common intention) of IPC, respectively. The prosecutor said all sentences would run concurrently.

He further added that seven witnesses including victim’s parents were examined during the course of trial. “The statement of the parents played a crucial role for punishing the teachers,” he added.

