5 more girls at state tribal school may have been sexually assaulted

GUV HAD RAISED PLIGHT OF TRIBAL SCHOOLGIRLS

MUMBAI: A day after the government formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe how a 10-year-old from a tribal boarding school in Buldhana district got pregnant, the parents of five more girls have stepped forward to say they suspect their daughters were sexually exploited.

Tribal development minister Vishnu Savara said they suspect all six girls were sexually harassed and medical tests will be conducted to ascertain this. He also declared the boarding school run by a private trust will be derecognised and 10 of the arrested staff members have The issue of tribal boarding school students being harassed across the state had been brought to guv Ch Vidyasagar Rao’s notice

been suspended. The police have arrested 11 people in the case so far. The main accused is a sweeper at the school. Two suspects are still on run. Sanjay Baviskar, superintendent of police (SP) Buldhana confirmed the five girls are being questioned by policewomen. “Senior IPS officer of sexual harassment of girl students... had occurred at tribal boarding schools in the past few years. A team of senior lady officers may be constituted at state level, which can be supported by teams at district level...”

CH VIDYASAGAR RAO

Aarti Singh and additional SP Shweta Khedkar, who is heading the SIT, are questioning the girls. We have not received any formal complaint from their families,” Baviskar told HT.

The issue of tribal boarding school students being sexually harassed across the state had pre- viously been brought to governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao’s notice. The governor had last week requested CMDevendraFadnavistotakecognisance of the matter, but the state took action only after the 10-year old’s case surfaced, sources said.