POCSO case slapped against management ...

By Prakruti Pk
Bangalore Mirror
January 12, 2015

http://www.bangaloremirror.com/bangalore/cover-story/POCSO-case-slapped-against-management-of-leading-girls-school-over-sexual-assault/articleshow/45846556.cms?

POCSO case slapped against management of leading girls’ school over ‘sexual assault’

In what may be described as an appalling first for a prestigious all-girls' private school located in the heart of the city, the Central division police have registered a complaint under various sections of the POCSO Act along with section 354 (a) of the IPC against three members of the school management for allegedly manhandling and sexually assaulting students who were staging a protest on the school's premises, on Thursday morning. The protest was against the installation of a new principal.

Highly-placed police sources confirmed that a former teacher and member of the Church of South India, Karnataka Central Diocese, approached the Cubbon Park police on Saturday and filed an FIR against three members of the school management claiming they used foul language to abuse the girls, reportedly threatened to hurt them, and allegedly sexually assaulted them in a bid to get the protestors to disperse and return to their classrooms.

A senior police officer told Mirror, "We received a letter from the school on Wednesday saying they were anticipating some sort of trouble due to the announcement that the temporary principal was being replaced by a new one. They requested us to be present near the school the next morning, and accordingly, we reached the premises by 7.30 am on Thursday, but were asked to stay outside." A large number of students belonging to classes VIII, IX, X, and XI were reportedly seated on the ground just inside the school entrance, and some were holding up banners declaring their solidarity with the outgoing principal.

The fracas is thought to have unfolded between 9.15 and 9.45 am, when the new principal arrived flanked by two men - purportedly both members of management - but was not 'allowed' to enter the premises by the girls.

"The complainant told us that she is a former teacher and a member of the diocese. She claims she was passing by the school when she noticed the commotion and stopped. She has alleged that the members of the management manhandled, criminally intimidated, and sexually assaulted several of the girls at the protest. She told us the men used vulgar and offensive language, spat on the girls, and even slapped one of them. She also claims in her plaint that the girls were molested when the men tried snatching the badges pinned to the students' chests," the police officer added.

The Cubbon Park police were reportedly specifically requested to stay outside the school premises and were told the matter was 'internal'; so maintain they were unable to see whether or not any assault had taken place.

A case was immediately registered under sections 354 (a) (sexual harassment by physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC; along with sections 8, 9(f), and 10 of the POCSO Act.

CCTV footage from the cameras mounted on the school gates and inside the premises is also being scrutinized by the police. Since the incident took place during the day and the resolution of the CCTVs is high, officials are confident of being able to use the video footage as valuable evidence.

Meanwhile, given the sensitive nature of the issue, officers in plain-clothes will have to visit the school and question the faculty and students who were present at the protest about the allegations in the complaint. When contacted, deputy commissioner of police (Central) Sandeep Patil confirmed that a complaint had been registered and said a full-fledged investigation was under way. The chairman of the school stated that the protest on Thursday was masterminded by a couple of teachers as they had an issue with the new principal taking over.

"They instigated a few teachers by convincing them that a teacher of the school should be made the principal and not someone from outside," he had said.