MUMBAI: The parents of a six-year-old senior KG student have complained to the police that an unidentified person, with the help of a woman attendant of a school bus contracted with a Kurla-based international school, has sexually abused the boy several times this month.

Police arrested attendant Farah Khan, 18, after the boy’s mother accused that she used to hand over her son to a man midway on the journey from his crèche in Kurla (W) to the school.

The boy’s working parents used to leave him at a crèche at Kamani at 8am and pick him up at 8pm every day. For the last few days, his mother noticed changes in his behaviour and also that he frequently insisted that he did not want to go to school. He used to get nightmares and cry out ‘don’t beat me’. Later he was taken to a doctor, who said he had been sexually abused and there was an injury on his private parts. His father said he would comment at the right time.

Deputy commissioner of police (zone V) Dhananjay Kulkarni said Khan had not yet revealed anything about the accused. “We tried to talk to the child, who is a slow learner. The medical report is expected in two days. It will tell us the seriousness of the injuries the child suffered. We have summoned the bus owner, driver and conductor for a clear picture as Khan claimed she had not handed over the boy to anyone,” said Kulkarni.

In her complaint, the mother told the Vinoba Bhave Nagar police : “I noticed changes in my son’s behaviour since March 18, but he didn’t reveal anything and was scared. He finally broke down on March 25 after we gained his confidence. Our family doctor informed us that he was sexually abused and there was an injury on his private parts. The doctor was called after our son had fever last week.”

The mother suspected that her son was abused after she observed that he was having nightmares. “He used to cry, ‘don’t beat me (mujhe mat maro)’ in his sleep. He later revealed that the attendant used to pick him up from the crèche at 11am and midway she used to hand him over to a man in an autorickshaw,” the victim’s mother told the police.

Senior inspector Subhash Raut said it was too early to comment. The police have contacted the school authorities for details about the incident.

Repeated attempts by TOI to contact the school principal were unanswered.

A spokesperson for the school bus contractor confirmed that a woman attendant from one of their buses has been arrested. “We have inquired with the bus driver and cleaner who have denied the charges made by the parents. We are waiting for the police investigations for further details,” said the spokesperson. He also added that they have not yet been called for questioning by the police.

“The accused warned the boy not to reveal anything about the sodomy to anyone. Khan and the accused have been booked under sections 34 (common intention), 323 (hurt), 363 (kidnap), 377 (unnatural offence) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. The accused has also been booked under sections 4, 6, 8 and 12 (penetrative sexual assault and unnatural offence) of the new Child Protection Act ,” said Raut.