Minor gang-raped by seniors in school washroom in Delhi; DCW steps in

The incident reportedly took place in July, but the victim approached police on Tuesday after the matter was taken up by the DCW.

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Thursday sent a notice to the Delhi Police, and the principal of a school after an 11-year-old student was allegedly gang-raped by two seniors inside the washroom of a Kendriya Vidyalaya in the national capital.

Police said a detailed investigation is underway.

According to a PTI report, the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan's regional office has also ordered an inquiry into the issue.

The incident reportedly took place in July, but the victim approached police on Tuesday after the matter was taken up by the DCW.

Terming the incident a “serious matter”, the women's body chairperson Swati Maliwal demanded strict action. "We have received a very serious case of gang-rape with an 11-year-old student inside a school in Delhi. The girl has alleged that her school teacher tried to hush up the matter. It is very unfortunate that even schools are unsafe for children in the capital,” she said.

The minor said that in July while walking to her classroom, she collided with two Class 11 and 12 boys from her school. She said that while she apologised to the boys, they began assaulting her and dragged her into a toilet.

She said the boys raped her after locking the lavatory door from the inside. Later, when she alerted a teacher about the incident, she was told that the boys had been expelled and the matter was allegedly hushed up, a DCW statement said.

The school authorities have been asked to inform why the incident was not reported to police

The assault, according to Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) officials, was not reported to the school administration by the girl or her parents and was only discovered after a police inquiry.

"The regional office of KVS is investigating the issue. The incident was not reported to the principal by the girl or her parents. The issue was also not raised at a parent-teacher meeting held after the incident," a senior KVS official said.

"The issue has come to our notice only through police investigation. We are cooperating with the Delhi Police in its proceedings," the official added.

Police said a detailed investigation is underway.

Based on the statement of the girl, the teaching staff and suspected students are being interrogated, police said.

(With agency inputs)