School bus driver held for raping 10-year-old girl

MUMBAI: The Powai police arrested a 35-year-old school bus driver for allegedly raping a 10-year-old student of a reputed school.

According to the police, although the school promptly reported the rape by the driver to the police, the parents initially did not want to pursue the case.

“The incident happened towards the end of January. The accused was the driver of the bus the minor took to and from the school. On the day of the incident, the girl was standing next to the accused, who in a bus full of students, touched her inappropriately,” said a police officer.

“The minor immediately told a teacher, who was designated caretaking duties of the school bus, about the incident. She reported the incident to the school authorities,” he added. The management of the school told senior staffers to apprehend the driver, the police said.

“They (school authorities) brought the driver to us and told us what had happened. But the parents of the child did not want to send the girl to record her statement,” said the officer.

“We registered a case under section 376 (punishment for rape) under Indian Penal Code and section 4 and 8 of Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act based on the statement of the teacher, but the statement of the girl was the most important,” he said.

Police said the case was registered on January 31 and then the team investigating the case counselled the parents to let their child record her statement. The parents finally agreed and the statement of the child was taken according to the Standard Operating Procedure laid down for cases dealing with sexual offences against children.

Police said if any such case of sexual offence comes to the fore, parents and anyone who has information on the incident should not refrain from informing them and registering the case. The Mumbai Police’s operating procedure works on the principle of creating a comfortable atmosphere for the complainant.