School blamed for late action after sexual assault on child

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 10

A four-year-old girl has allegedly been sexually assaulted by a school bus driver of Amrit Indo Canadian Academy at Ladia Khurd. The girl’s mother has accused the academy authorities of not taking immediate action against the driver.

A medical examination of the child, a student of nursery, was conducted. The doctors said she was not raped but an attempt of sexual assault was made on her.

Today, the girl’s parents, along with other parents, reached the school premises and raised slogans against the authorities. They blamed the school principal for supporting the bus driver. During the protest, two doors were vandalised.

Dakha DSP Gurbans Singh Bains, ACP West Sameer Verma and the Haibowal SHO, along with police force, reached the school and tried to calm down the protesters. The officials assured the parents that action as per law would be taken against the bus driver.

Gurbans said a case had been registered against the bus driver Surjit Singh of Khaira Bet under Section 354 of the IPC and POCSO Act on a complaint of the girl’s mother. He has been arrested.

Meanwhile, the school also issued a statement which reads: “There has been an allegation against the school by one of the parents that their child was assaulted by the driver on the way back home on Friday. The mother of the child apprised the principal of the issue on Saturday, following which the driver and the conductor were called to the office”.

For investigation purpose, a memory card, GPS details and some documents were also submitted to the police. “We look forward to a fair probe and want the guilty should not be spared. In spite of the assurance that the academy will cooperate in police probe in all respects, parents caused a huge damage to the school property,” reads the school statement.