The rape of a four-year-old girl in a Bhandup school last week has opened a can of worms and horrifying details of sexual assaults in the institution. The survivor, who is being treated at the Sion Hospital, says her three other classmates were also sexually assaulted by the non-teaching staff on the same day. However, the other three victims are yet to approach the police.

In her statement to the doctors, the Junior KG student of Mount Mary School in Bhandup said the supervisor took the four of them to a bathroom, asked them to lie down before undressing them. He then sexually assaulted them. Apart from sodomising the girls, he forced them to have oral sex.

The accused has been identified as Kesari Upadhyay, also known as Chote Sir to the students. The Bhandup Police have booked Upadhyay for rape, and under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. The accused has been arrested.

While the incident happened on December 9 at around 4.30-5 pm, fear of social stigma stopped the girl's family from registering a police case.

The child said that when resisted, the supervisor threatened them with dire consequence and hit them.

The heinous crime of the supervisor came to the light when the girl refused to go to school the next day and complained of pain in private areas.

On December 11 the child complained of unbearable pain in lower abdomen area and told her grandmother of the same. Her parents took her to Rajawadi Hospital but returned home without treatment. On December 16, the grandmother confided about the incident to some of her neighbours who alerted a local social worker. She then approached the family and convinced them to register a police complaint.

Meanwhile, doctors have sent the victim's vaginal swabs, etc to Forensic Science Laboratory, Kalina for further analysis. Doctors, however, are not very keen about the results. "There has been a delay in reporting the case.

The vaginal swab analysis will not reveal much and help in investigation. We will now have to depend on corroborating facts, child's statement etc," said a doctor from forensic department at Sion Hospital. The department will submit its report that will include the child's statement and doctor's observation to the police for further investigation.

According to doctors, the girl is stable and will be discharged on Friday. Dr Avinash Supe, dean of the Hospital said, "She was admitted for investigation and medication. She was stable."

Dr Supe said initially the parents were reluctant in allowing investigation. "They were afraid of social stigma. They were counselled after which they allowed investigations."

The rise in sexual assault on children has been a growing concern among doctors too. In last five days, Sion Hospital alone got two cases in which a 14-year-old and a 4-year-old were raped. Doctors said the victims will require long-term counselling to get out of the mental trauma.

Dr Avinash Supe, said, "On one hand it is sad that such incidents are happening, on the other the only solace is that victims are coming forward for help. We are now involving the pediatric surgeons/doctors help us dealing with child with sexual assault. We provide counselling for the parents too."

According to the doctors, children and physically/mentally challenged who are subjected to such crime takes longer to time to heal and need more support and care.

Dr Shubhangi Parker, deputy dean (academics) and professor of Psychiatrist department of KEM hospital said, "Such victims find it difficult to express their pain and become rebellion in nature as they grow. They need huge emotional support to come to normalcy."

How the crime came to the foreThe incident happened on December 9 at around 4.30-5 pm.December 10: The girl refuses to go to school and complains of pain in private areasDecember 11: Unable to bear the lower abdomen, she narrated the incident to her grandmotherDecember 12: Family takes the victim to Bhandup Hospital and then to Rajwadi Hospital but returns home without treatment as they do not take her to the doctorsDecember 16: Grandmother confides about the incident in her neighbour who in turn alerts a social worker. The social worker helps family register a police complaintDecember 17: The child is admitted to Sion Hospital and the accused arrested