The main accused in the Bal Niketan sexual assault case, Manish Arora, remained at large on Wednesday, a day after a case was registered into the matter. The police have sent teams to different parts of Punjab and Haryana to nab the 50-year-old accused, who is the supervisor of the Sector 15 home.
Police teams have also been sent to Haryana’s Kurukshetra, the hometown of Manish Arora, but he could not be traced. The police have deployed sub-inspector Aarti Goyal to car ry out the investigations. Goyal went to Bal Niketan and recorded the statements of minor victims, students of Classes 4 to 8. Sources in the police said 12 girls gave their statement to Goyal, alleging sexual harassment by supervisor Manish Arora.
The minor girls claimed that they were subjected to uncomfortable touch by the supervisor and that he would also try to touch their private parts. The girls were also asked if he ever entered their rooms late in the night. To which, they replied that he never entered t heir rooms late night but he would come unannounced and would open the door suddenly. A minor girl alleged that sometimes the supervisor would unnecessarily pat her hips. Goyal said she would record statements of the remaining girls in days to come.
Sources in the police said the picture will become clear after the arrest of Manish Arora on why he proceeded on leave for four days. His leave period ends on April 23. Manish Arora was per manent employee of Bal Niketan and was residing on the institute’s premises.
{{/usCountry}}Sources in the police said the picture will become clear after the arrest of Manish Arora on why he proceeded on leave for four days. His leave period ends on April 23. Manish Arora was per manent employee of Bal Niketan and was residing on the institute’s premises.
{{/usCountry}}Sources in the police said they were trying to contact the parents of the accused and other relatives to track him down.
Arora was booked under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to outrage modesty of woman) and 354-A (sexual harassment) of IPC and Section 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
Sources said the case was registered against Arora, while the role of female attendants Manjit and Meena was being investigated. A group of victim girls also submitted a written complaint on the public window at the police headquarters.