Gurugram school bus attendant gets 20 years in jail for sexual assault of four-year-old

Additional sessions judge Rajni Yadav, while pronouncing the quantum of punishment, directed the convict Shambu to pay ₹50,000 as penalty. If he failed to pay, he would be required to serve another six years’ imprisonment, the court said.

A district court on Tuesday awarded 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment to a 23-year-old man for sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl while he worked as a bus conductor of a private city school in August 2016.

The accused was arrested on August 9, 2016 and was produced before the court next day and was sent to judicial custody. Since then he has been lodged in Bhondsi jail, said police. (Reuters File / Representative Photo)

Additional sessions judge Rajni Yadav, while pronouncing the quantum of punishment, directed the convict Shambu to pay ₹50,000 as penalty. If he failed to pay, he would be required to serve another six years’ imprisonment, the court said.

Shambu, a resident of West Bengal, had been a week-old into the job when the incident happened. He had joined the service on a temporary basis taking his cousin’s place who had gone home to attend his mother’s funeral.

According to the police, while on their way to drop her home, Shambu had taken the girl to rear seat of the bus where he molested her.

The prosecution said that there were other students also in the bus when the incident happened. She was later dropped off at the gate of an upscale society, where she was picked up by her parents.

Shambu was arrested on August 9, 2016 and was produced before the court next day and was sent to judicial custody. Since then he has been lodged in Bhondsi jail, said police.

Vinod Kumar, assistant public prosecutor said girl’s parents in their complaint had alleged that Shambu took the victim to the rear seat of the bus where he allegedly molested her.

The medical report, statement of the victim, her parents, and police investigations led to Shambu’s conviction under section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on Monday.

“Considering all the aspects of the case, court refused to show any leniency and awarded the strictest punishment,” said Kumar.

After the incident, over 100 parents had protested over alleged security flaws in the school’s transport system and raised around 21 issues related to the security concerns they had. Of the 21 points, 10 points pertained to safety issues in buses, and 11 points pertained to safety in the school premises.

The issues included the presence of women attendants in the bus, teachers to accompany students until the last stop and police verification of the staff, among others.

Parents had also complained about security issues, like teachers not remaining in the bus till the last student got off, replacing buses with SUV vehicles and missing closed circuit television cameras and GPS systems.

The school said it welcomed the verdict.