PASCHIM MEDINIPUR: Following the alleged sexual molestation of a six-year-old Class 1 student in West Bengal’s Paschim Medinipur district, protests have broken out outside the school.Parents and locals demand action against the accused and the removal of the principal for allegedly failing to act, news agency ANI reported.While the accused has been arrested, protesters claimed the school administration tried to suppress the incident rather than informing the authorities.The victim’s mother said that her son was assaulted on Friday by the boys’ restroom attendant.“When we went to pick him up, he said he had something embarrassing to tell me. Upon reaching home, he revealed that the boys’ restroom attendant had closed the door and molested him; he subjected him to oral molestation.”“He only let go when my son’s friend knocked on the door; otherwise, my son was suffocating and could have even lost consciousness,” she stated.She further alleged that the principal did not act immediately upon hearing the complaint.“When we complained, the principal simply defended the accused. He neither informed the police nor allowed us to do so, claiming it would bring disrepute to the school.”“All the parents stood by me; we filed an FIR, and the accused was subsequently arrested. The school took no initiative. All the parents have gathered here to protest against this injustice, and we demand the removal of the principal. Instead of helping, the teachers are making inappropriate remarks; we also demand the suspension of these teachers,” she added.Superintendent of police (SP) Papiya Sultana confirmed that the police acted promptly once the complaint was received.“Since the victim in this case is a child, we do not wish to disclose further details publicly. We immediately registered a case regarding the molestation of a minor child. We reviewed and seized the CCTV footage and have forwarded it for further action,” the SP said.To prevent future incidents, the police have mandated several safety measures for the school, including installing CCTV cameras outside washrooms, deploying attendants at these facilities, establishing separate restrooms for Class 5 students, and conducting mandatory background checks on all staff members.“We will implement all necessary measures to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future,” Sultana added.(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)(With agency inputs)
