Class-2 student rape: 3-member national child panel visits Baba Bakala, starts inquiry

The team members — Rozy Tabba, Payal and Kapil Sharma — conducted a four-hour meeting with two special investigation teams

Amritsar Five days after the rape of a Class-2 child by a Class-10 student at a private school at Beas, a three-member team of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) visited Baba Bakala SDM’s office, 40km from the Amritsar district headquarters, and initiated its inquiry. The team members — Rozy Tabba, Payal and Kapil Sharma — conducted a four-hour meeting with two special investigation teams (SITs). The first from the Amritsar district administration and the second from the Punjab Police that is probing the role of the school management in alleged covering-up of the incident. Both teams were directed to conclude their probe in two weeks.

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NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo had formed the team at Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal’s request to probe the school’s role in ‘covering up the brutality’.

“Our probe is at its preliminary stage. We have met all important persons related to the case. Our preliminary findings suggest that the school failed to take precautionary measures. If the girl had entered the premises before school hours, it was still the school’s responsibility to protect her. How was a Class-10 boy allowed to reach the Class-2 girl? We will submit our report to the chairperson very soon,” said Tabba, adding that no one found guilty would be spared.

Previously, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had alleged that some police officials were trying to shield the school management. Soon after the incident, the police registered a case under Section 376 (rape) of the IPC and Section 8 of the POCSO Act against the accused on a complaint from the victim’s mother. The accused was arrested the same day and produced in a court before being sent to a juvenile home.

A day after the incident, parents of the victim and others had blocked the Amritsar-Delhi national highway demanding action against the school management. On the same day, DC Shivdular Singh Dhillon had formed a three-member committee, comprising the Baba Bakala SDM, district education officer (secondary) and district child welfare officer, to probe the role of the school. SSP (rural) Vikramjit Singh Duggal had also formed a team that SP (investigation) Amandeep Kaur was leading.