School bus driver held for raping 17-year-old in Sonepat

According to the FIR, the Class 12 student was first assaulted in early May when the bus driver allegedly waited until all other students had been dropped off, then took the girl to a secluded location on his motorcycle where he raped her.

Police in Haryana’s Sonepat district have arrested a private school bus driver for allegedly raping a 17-year-old student on two separate occasions, officials confirmed on Wednesday. The accused, in his early 30s, was arrested after a manhunt on Wednesday, officials said.

The accused, in his early 30s, was arrested after a manhunt on Wednesday, officials said. (Archives)

The horrifying case came to light when the victim’s grandmother filed a formal complaint at Sonepat Sadar police station on Monday. According to the first information report (FIR), the Class 12 student was first assaulted in early May when the bus driver allegedly waited until all other students had been dropped off, then took the girl to a secluded location on his motorcycle where he raped her.

Investigators said that after the initial assault, the accused took compromising photographs of the minor to blackmail her into silence.

The grandmother’s complaint states the driver raped the girl again recently, this time explicitly threatening to release the photos online and harm her family if she reported the crimes.

“The trauma left my granddaughter so terrified that she stopped attending school altogether,” the grandmother told police. “When we pressed her about her sudden refusal to go to classes, she finally broke down and revealed the horrific truth,”

Sonepat police spokesperson confirmed the accused has been charged under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

“We’ve conducted the victim’s medical examination and are awaiting the formal report,” the official stated, adding that the driver was apprehended after an intensive manhunt.

School authorities, meanwhile, claimed to police they were unaware of the incidents until the matter was reported to the police. “The matter was never reported to us,” a school representative said, confirming they have terminated the driver’s employment immediately upon learning of the allegations.

Police officials assured the public of a thorough investigation and swift justice in the case. The victim is currently receiving counseling and medical care as the legal proceedings move forward.