Parents Protest at Navi Mumbai School Over Alleged Abuse of 4-Year-Old Student
Driver Arrested Under POCSO Act Following Incident Involving 4-Year-Old Student on April 22
Parents Demonstrate at Navi Mumbai School Over Presumed Sexual Abuse of 4-Year-Old Student
Parents of hundreds of students protested in front of a leading Navi Mumbai school on Monday morning and demanded action against the school administration after a four-year-old student was allegedly sexually abused by the driver of the school van.
The driver has been arrested by the police in relation to the incident, which took place on April 22, according to reports. A case has been filed against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Waving placards and chanting slogans, parents assembled outside the school campus, demanding the sacking of the principal. Protesters wore black ribbons as a mark of their indignation. One of the parents, in an interview with the media, alleged that the school management and principal had shown a “dismissive attitude” towards the seriousness of the matter. “They have not given any guarantee. How do we know that such a gruesome accident will not take place once again and put our children at risk?
” questioned one of the concerned parents.
Attempts by the local media to get a reaction from the school administration were also in vain, as they failed to respond to comment requests.
The NRI Coastal police of Navi Mumbai arrested the bus driver after the alleged molestation was discovered. The incident came to light when the boy was taken to hospital in pain in his rectum. Scared by the experience, the boy‘s crying parents went to the school and complained to the principal about their woes. In turn, the school issued a WhatsApp message to parents, declaring that it knew of the case filed under the POCSO Act and assured them of its dedication to the safety of the students. “The school is investigating internally and assisting the investigating agencies.“.
Given the above, the school assures all parents and reaffirms its dedication to maintaining the safety and welfare of the children attending the school,” the message stated.The incident has caused a lot of concern among parents, who are calling for more accountability and transparency from school authorities to guarantee the safety of their children.
