School was aware of past harassment by stalker on campus: survivor’s father

PUNE The father of the teenager who was stabbed by a stalker in her school premises said he had earlier informed the school when the suspected stalker had attempted to accost the girl at the premises

PUNE The father of the teenager who was stabbed by a stalker in her school premises said he had earlier informed the school when the suspected stalker had attempted to accost the girl at the premises.

Police visit the spot where a 21-year-old man stabbed a Class 10 student in Wadgaon Sheri on Monday. (HT PHOTO)

However, the school failed to make an appropriate response to the situation, according to the father. The school authorities have informed the police that the security guard had left the post in order to switch on the water motor when the men entered.

A class 10 student, who was to appear for her final board exam starting Tuesday, was allegedly assaulted by a 21-year-old man on Monday. The youth, who is a suspected stalker, later tried to die by suicide after the attack. He was later hospitalised where he is undergoing treatment, officials said.

“On March 6, the 21-year-old man had come to the school and threatened to kill my daughter and our family if she did not do as he says. I had learned about this and visited the school to inform them about the incident. The school had listened to me but did nothing. Moreover, they are not ready to foot the medical bill either,” said the father of the girl.

On Monday morning, the youth entered into classroom in the school where a farewell party was organised for SSC students a day before their exam. Once in, he stabbed the girl at least four times with a knife.

Rohidas Pawar, deputy commissioner of police, Zone 4 of Pune police, said, “A school teacher did confirm that she knew about the complaint that was made 10-11 days ago. And there is a security guard at the school gate. But the school teachers told us that the guard had left to switch on the water motor of the school when the man entered the premise and stayed in to wait for her.”

While DP Pawar could not confirm the existence of a second accused who helped the main suspect enter and flee from the school, another policeman and the members of the survivor’s social community claimed that there was another person on a two-wheeler who helped the accused come to the school and then helped him escape.