In lockdown nightmare, 9-year-old boy sexually harassed by hostel warden in Dehradun: Cops

Police on Saturday arrested a 30-year-old hostel warden of a boarding school in Dehradun for allegedly assaulting and sexually harassing a 9-year-old third standard student who was stranded during the lockdown.

Police said the incident happened about one month ago in the hostel of the boarding school where the victim was stranded as his parents could not come to take him home in Uttar Pradesh due to the lockdown. The child was the only student left in the school.

The incident came to light on Saturday when they finally reached school to take their son and the boy’s parents lodged a complaint in the evening, said police.

SK Rawat, sub-inspector, Raipur police station said, “On Saturday the boy’s parents lodged a complaint stating that her son was stuck alone in the hostel due to the lockdown. Following the recent relaxations in lockdown when they reached school to take him with them, the school staffers were initially hesitant to let him go with them. However, when they sternly requested, they allowed the boy to go.”

“It was then the boy narrated his ordeal that the accused hostel warden Harish Kumar used to often assault him and forced him to clean his room. He also harassed him sexually. Shocked, the parents then immediately reached the police station and lodged the complaint,” said Rawat.

The police officer informed that following the complaint, a case was immediately registered against Kumar.

“He was booked for aggravated sexual act under section 9/10 of PoCSO Act and voluntarily causing hurt under section 321 and 323 of IPC. He was immediately arrested from the school premises. Police will present him in a court tomorrow,” said Rawat.