Principal and teacher held for sexually abusing 13-year-old in Mumbai special school

Vinamrata Borwankar

The principal and a teacher of a school for special children in the city were arrested on Wednesday for sexually abusing a 13-year-old child and showing her objectionable photos for over a year.

In the complaint forwarded to the police by the victim’s lawyer on Tuesday, the hearing- and speech-impaired girl said the duo had indulged in similar acts with half a dozen other girls as well.

“The principal on several occasions called the victim and other girl students to his cabin on pretext of giving chocolates and they were asked to kiss him. Meanwhile, the victim also complained that the teacher used to take her to a lonely place on the school premises and forcefully made her see objectionable pictures,” the complaint added.

The police took cognizance of the complaint, arrested the 42-year-old principal and 37-year-old teacher and produced them in court on Wednesday. The two, charged with sexual assault of a minor, outraging modesty and similar offences, pleaded innocence. They have been remanded in police custody till July 7.

The police have sought help of a translator to record the statements of another 13-year-old student who is an eyewitness and the school president.

Unable to bear the ordeal, the victim communicated to her parents in sign language in May the trauma she has been facing. Her parents held a meeting with other parents, including that of the 13-year-old witness, and reported the matter to the school president on May 25. Later, they consulted a lawyer, who filed the police complaint.

Investigators are collecting details and trying to record statements of the school staff and students. “We have asked the school for the record of the closed-circuit television (CCTV) installed on the school premises to get some evidence in the case,” said the police.

Source: indiatimes