Four-year-old raped by school bus driver

POLICE SAY THE SCHOOL BUS DID NOT HAVE A WOMAN ATTENDANT AS PER THE SAFE SCHOOL VAHAN POLICY

PANCHKULA: A four-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in a school bus by the driver en route to her house at a village in Pinjore block of Panchkula district near the Haryana-himachal Pradesh border, the police said on Saturday. The bus driver was arrested on Saturday.

The nursery student had gone to school on Friday and returned home in the afternoon. In the evening, she complained to her aunt about difficulty in passing urine. “Upon inquiring, the victim told her aunt that the driver had sexually assaulted her on the bus. As per preliminary investigation, the school bus was not having any woman attendant as per the Safe School Vahan Policy. We will check the CCTV cameras of the bus,” Panchkula deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Kamal Deep Goyal said.

The girl goes to a private school in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, around 8km from her village. The victim lives with her maternal aunt because her parents had separated around two years ago and her mother remarried, leaving the child in her sister’s care, the police said.

The bus driver arrested for the crime was identified as Niranjan, aka Honey, 24, who lives in the Barotiwala, Baddi.the suspect is being interrogated and will be produced in court on Sunday. The police are also questioning four other men, including drivers and attendants. A case has been registered under Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at the Panchkula women’s police station. Goyal said the police would proceed against the school if they find any criminal liability on the part of the school management.

The girl used to be the last student to be dropped off at her house by the driver of the school bus, the police said. Her aunt had earlier asked the school to post a woman attendant on the bus, they said. The victim was taken to Panchkula civil hospital by her maternal aunt and uncle, accompanied by other family members, at around 9pm on Friday. A woman assistant sub-inspector who was at the hospital came across the child, and informed the women’s police station. The DCP, assistant commissioner of police Noopur Bishnoi,officers from women’s police station and a crime branch team then reached the hospital.

The medical examination of the victim was conducted and detailed report was awaited.

“The initial examination has confirmed sexual assault, though a final report is awaited. As per the doctors, the medical examination has revealed penetrative sexual assault on the girl,” said the DCP. The police said more clarity would emerge on the nature of the assault after a final medical report is prepared. The victim is currently under medical observation.

The school management did not respond to calls made on its official mobile number.