THE RAPE

SCHOOL’S UTTER DISREGARD FOR STUDENTS’ SAFETY

♦ The incident took place after a cultural event, when the girl was waiting for her parents ♦ The attendant supposed to take care of the victim was busy with household chores ♦ Principal not aware that the accused, Somnath Yadav, resided in the school itselfA 10-year-old girl was raped by a 20-year-old man inside the men’s toilet at her school in Dadar on Friday evening. The accused, Somnath Yadav, works for the caterer who runs the school canteen, and is also given the job of cleaning the auditorium. Shockingly, the school authorities didn’t even know that Yadav has been residing in the school itself for the last four months.The incident has revealed massive negligence on the part of the school authorities. Investigation by the police revealed that the victim, a Class V student, had missed the school bus after a cultural gathering, and was waiting for her parents to pick her up, after the event ended around 5.30 pm.An officer from Shivaji Park Police Station said, “The girl returned to the school after she missed one of the three buses allotted to the students living in the central suburbs. She approached her class teacher, who called up her parents. The teacher also called up a woman attendant, who was already in the bus which the girl was supposed to board.”The woman attendant resides in the staff quarters on the school premises, and the teacher informed her that she was leaving the girl near her room, and that she must take care of her till her parents arrive to pick her up, the police said.The girl was left in the care of the attendant’s minor son, who soon left for tuitions. The attendant returned to her quarters around 7.15 pm after dropping the other students home, but got busy with household chores. She didn’t accompany the girl when she went to the second floor to go to the girls’ toilet.“The accused raped her in the men’s toilet around 7.45 pm. When her family reached the school, they began looking for the girl. Her aunt was walking towards the toilet when she saw the accused coming downstairs. She inquired with him if he had seen the girl and he said that he hadn’t,” a police officer said. The family later found the girl on the second floor, and realised that she had been raped. The girl also identified Yadav as the person who had raped her.The women’s helpline of the Mumbai Police on patrol duty was informed, and the cops took the girl to the hospital along with her parents. Senior Inspector Ashok Jagdale from Shivaji Park Police Station said, “Yadav has been arrested and booked under the Indian Penal Code Section 376 for rape, besides sections 4 and 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.”Police investigation revealed several lapses by the school authorities. Firstly, the fact that the girl had missed the bus was not observed by the school attendants. The principal said that all the staff members and teachers were present at the school after the gathering was over to discuss the preparations for a function on Saturday, but the girl was left unattended when they left.“The girl was left outside a woman attendant’s room, despite the teacher knowing that the attendant was not present. The attendant’s minor son also left for tuitions. When the attendant returned after more than an hour, she got busy with household chores and didn’t pay attention to the girl,” a police officer said.The police also said that it was surprising that the school authorities, including the principal, didn’t even know that Yadav, along with four others from the catering staff, was residing in the school for the last four months. The cops also said that the school had not installed CCTV cameras on the campus despite repeated suggestions by the police. Inspector Gulab Patil from Shivaji Park Police Station said, “During our visits to the schools, we had instructed this particular school to ensure safety of their students, but those steps were not taken.” The principal cited lack of funds, and admitted he wasn’t aware whether a background check was conducted before the catering staff was allowed inside the school. “We wrote to the trust to allot us funds to increase security at the school. There is currently just one guard and no CCTV cameras,” the principal said.Several parents have demanded explanation from the school. “We demand that the school call a meeting with all parents, and ensure every staffer is screened. We will not tolerate such utter disregard for the students’ safety,” one of the students’ parent said.♦ The 10-year-old girl attends the cultural event at her school, which gets over around 5.30 pm on Friday. She misses the school bus that was to take her home, and returns to her class teacher.♦ The teacher calls up the girl’s parents, and a woman attendant, who is already on the bus the girl was supposed to board. The teacher informs the attendant that she will find the girl near her quarters on the school premises, and asks her to take care of her till the time her parents arrive.♦ The girl is in the care of the attendant’s minor son, who leaves for tuitions. The attendant returns around 7.15 pm but gets busy with household chores.♦ Around 7.45 pm, the girl goes to the toilet on the second floor. She is not accompanied by the attendant. The accused, Somnath Yadav, 20, rapes her in the men’s toilet, also on the second floor.♦ Yadav is a member of the catering staff that runs the school canteen. He, along with three others, has been residing on the school campus for the last four months.♦ The girl’s relatives, while looking for her, spots Yadav and ask him whether he has seen her. He denies.♦ The victim identifies Yadav, who is arrested from the school premises♦ Here’s why the school is equally responsible for the incident♦ The school authorities didn’t even know the accused, Somnath Yadav, had been residing on the campus for the last four months.♦ The attendants didn’t know the girl had missed the bus that was to take her home.♦ The teacher dropped her near a woman attendant’s quarters despite knowing that the attendant was on the bus, dropping students home.♦ Instead of accompanying the girl to the washroom, the attendant got busy with household chores. The girl goes to the washroom on the second floor, where she is raped.♦ The police say the school was asked to install CCTV cameras, principal cites lack of funds.♦ The principal admits he is not aware whether background checks were conducted on the accused and his colleagues.