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Protests erupted outside a school in West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district after the alleged sexual molestation of a minor boy, who is a Class 1 student, with parents and locals demanding strict action against the accused and the removal of the school principal for allegedly failing to act promptly.
The police have arrested the accused. However, protesters alleged that the school administration attempted to suppress the incident instead of immediately informing the authorities. Speaking to ANI, the victim's mother alleged that her six-year-old son was sexually assaulted on Friday by the boys' restroom attendant. "My son is six years old and went to school on Friday. When we went to pick him up, he said he had something embarrassing to tell me. Upon reaching home, he revealed that the boys' restroom attendant had closed the door and molested him--he subjected him to oral molestation. He only let go when my son's friend knocked on the door; otherwise, my son was suffocating and could have even lost consciousness," she said. She further alleged that the school principal failed to take immediate action after the complaint was made. "When we complained, the principal simply defended the accused. He neither informed the police nor allowed us to do so, claiming it would bring disrepute to the school. All the parents stood by me; we filed an FIR, and the accused was subsequently arrested. The school took no initiative. All the parents have gathered here to protest against this injustice, and we demand the removal of the principal. Instead of helping, the teachers are making inappropriate remarks; we also demand the suspension of these teachers," she added. Superintendent of Police (SP) Papiya Sultana said the police acted immediately after receiving the complaint and registered a case. "Since the victim in this case is a child, we do not wish to disclose further details publicly. We immediately registered a case regarding the molestation of a minor child. We reviewed and seized the CCTV footage and have forwarded it for further action," the SP told reporters. She added that the police have issued several directives to the school, including separate restrooms for Class 5 students, installation of CCTV cameras outside washrooms to monitor entry and exit, deployment of attendants outside the facilities, and mandatory background verification of staff members. "We will implement all necessary measures to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future," Sultana said. (ANI)
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