KENDRAPADA: Three teachers and a peon of a private English medium school in Kendrapada district were arrested on Saturday for allegedly raping a Class VII student multiple times over the past two years. A woman teacher was also arrested for abetting and concealing the crime. The case came to light after the 12-year-old survivor’s father lodged an FIR on Saturday, alleging that three teachers and a peon had sexually assaulted his daughter repeatedly on the school premises when no one was present, and had threatened her into silence. The woman teacher was accused of helping them.
The girl had refused to go to school on Jan 14, following which her mother questioned her. The child then disclosed that three teachers aged 37, 31 and 47, and a 32-year-old peon had sexually assaulted her several times. She also said a 28-year-old woman teacher facilitated the abuse by taking her to the school’s rooftop. The survivor’s mother said she had complained to the school principal last month about inappropriate behaviour by the teachers, but no action was taken. The 24-year-old school has around 600 students and 20 teachers. The survivor’s father, a plumber in Delhi, approached the district child welfare committee (CWC) after returning home on Friday. “After receiving the complaint, we visited the school and spoke to the girl, her parents, teachers, staff and the principal. The survivor told us she had been sexually assaulted by three teachers and a peon multiple times in the past two years, and that a woman teacher took her to the rooftop. We advised the father to lodge an FIR. Police are investigating and CWC is monitoring the case,” said Swagatika Patra, chairperson of the committee. All five accused were arrested under sections 65(2) (rape of a girl under 12 years), 70(2) (gang rape of a minor), 351(2) and 351(3) (criminal intimidation), and 3(5) (common intention) of BNS, along with sections 4 and 6 of the Pocso Act. The woman teacher was also booked under sections 49 (abetment) and 60 (concealment) of BNS.The survivor was medically examined at a govt hospital, said Kendrapada SP Siddharth Kataria. All five accused were produced before a court on Saturday, which rejected their bail pleas and remanded them in judicial custody. The minor girl was produced before a judicial magistrate to record her statement.A BJD women’s team led by Minati Rout, chairperson of Rajkanika block, met the survivor and her parents on Saturday, and later spoke to police, demanding strict action against the accused.(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
