4-yr-old girl rape: Sangrur school principal among 3 held

Principal of a private school and two management members arrested in 4 yr old girl’s rape case.

A day after the key accused was held in the 4-year-old girl’s rape case here, the police on Monday arrested principal of a private school and two management members.

The police have arrested the accused for trying to hush up the matter by not informing police about the incident despite being aware about it.(HT File Photo/Representative Image)

Those arrested have been identified as Babita, principal of Shishu Vatika School and Tarsem Lal and Jiwan Jain, school management members.

“The police have arrested the three accused for trying to hush up the matter by not informing police about the incident despite being aware about it. Police are also probing the role of other management members,” said senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sandeep Garg.

Meanwhile, locals and women rights organisations held protest outside city police station while some protesters blocked Sangrur-Ludhiana road and shutdown markets. Private schools remained closed in the town.

Dhuri MLA Dalvir Singh Goldy reached out to protesters and tried to pacify them, however, the protesters raised question for delay in action against school management and principal.

“We demand fast track hearing of the case and the guilty should be hanged for this crime. Police are not paying heed to our demand and are working under political pressure. We demand that all members of the school be arrested and the school should be shut,” said Amandeep Deol, president, Istri Jagarti Manch.

“Girls are treated as second gender in our society. They are not even safe in their houses or schools. We will keep fighting for the justice until the accused are not punished,” said Parmajit Kaur, another protester.

Earlier, a student of LKG grade was raped on the premises of Shishu Vatika School at Dhuri town by the school bus conductor on Saturday. On Sunday, the police arrested accused Kamal, 27, a resident of Dhuri. “He was produced in a local court on Monday. The court sent him on four-day police remand. He will be produced in court again on May 31,” said police.

The accused were booked under Sections 363 (kidnapping) and 376 (Punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at city police station, Dhuri.