Principal, teachers booked for not reporting rape of 2 students

THE INCIDENT Class9 girls of Yamunanagar govt school were allegedly taken away by two local youths in a car on Oct 24 and raped

: Following intervention of the Haryana State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR), the Yamunanagar police have booked five teachers, including principal, of a government school in the district, for not reporting the incident of rape of two girl students.

Talking to Hindustan Times, HSCPCR member Paramjit Singh Badol said he had got information from confidential sources that two Class-9 girl students were allegedly taken by two local youths in a car from the school on October 24 and were later raped.

He said that the very next day, the victims narrated the incident to the school principal and other teachers, but they failed to report the crime to the child wel- fare committee and the police, which is the violation of the Section 21 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act .

He said that on the complaint by Dr Richa, district child protection officer (DCPO), Yamunanagar, the police have booked the two rape accused (who are minor), both residents of Mumidi village of the district, under Section 4 of the POCSO Act.

The police also booked school principal Paramjit Garg and teachers An ur ad ha, D ha ram pal, Gian Ch and and Shiv Kumar and peon Asha Rani under Section 21 of the POCSO Act.

However, the school teachers alleged that they had reported the matter to the family members of the girls and they did not report the matter to the police.

Meanwhile, Badola said the school also removed the names of victims from its rolls after a brief investigation by teachers. On why the action was not taken against the parents as they also did not report the crime, Badola said that they have the liberty to go by the consent of the victims.

Yamunanagar women police station in-charge Sheelawanti said the investigation into the matter were on. “It has been claimed that the rape accused are minor, but the police are yet to verify their age. They have been not arrested yet,” she added.

VICTIMS HAD REPORTED THE MATTER TO SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, TEACHERS A DAY AFTER THE INCIDENT BUT THE LATTER FAILED TO TAKE ANY ACTION