Woman teacher held for allegedly aiding minor’s rape at west Delhi school

The child and her family have alleged that it was the woman teacher who took her to the school basement where the accused raped her

Almost two weeks after a three-year-old girl was sexually assaulted allegedly by a caretaker of a private school in west Delhi’s Janakpuri area, the Delhi Police on Thursday said they have arrested a woman teacher in connection with the case. Police said the teacher was produced before a court and remanded in police custody for a day.

The court on Thursday granted one-day police custody of the woman teacher for further questioning. (Representational image)

Meanwhile, the girl’s family accused the police of “delaying” action against the teacher, who was arrested two weeks after the child and her family alleged that she had aided the main accused in carrying out the assault.

On May 1, Delhi Police arrested the 57-year-old caretaker of the school after the child accused him of sexually assaulting her in the school basement on April 30. The accused was booked for rape under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the POCSO Act. He was granted bail on May 7 by a Dwarka court.

Deputy commissioner of police (west) Darade Sharad Bhaskar said, “Based on evidence and the statement of the girl, we found that a woman teacher too was involved in the case. We have arrested her. Thorough investigation is being ensured in the case. The court on Thursday granted one-day police custody of the woman teacher for further questioning.”

Police said the girl and her parents have levelled allegations against the woman teacher. “We were told that she was the one who took the girl to the basement where the accused raped her. She had also allegedly assaulted the child before the rape and threatened her. The sequence of events is still being verified, but we have evidence suggesting that the woman teacher was with the child before the sexual assault happened. She will be questioned further,” said a senior police officer, requesting anonymity.

HT reached out to the principal of the school for comment on the arrests but did not receive a response.

The girl’s family alleged that police delayed action even after they informed them about the teacher’s alleged involvement. A family member said, “The teacher lured our child with toffees and took her to the basement. She had also thrashed our child at school. We shared these details with the police after the child told us she was afraid of the teacher, who had allegedly repeatedly assaulted her.”

Delhi Police are also in the process of finalising their investigation report for the court and will challenge before the high court the bail granted to the main accused.

DCP and joint commissioner of police also met the family of the girl on Thursday. The JCP did not respond to requests for a comment.