Angry Bangalore parents demand arrest of rapist teachers

Bangalore, Jul 18: Hundreds of enraged parents Friday demanded arrest of the two teachers accused of sexually assaulting a six-year-old student in a private school here.

"We want the two accused arrested and tried in a fast-track court to do justice to the child victim. Why are they (police) not acting fast? How long they want to interrogate the accused," Nandish Reddy, a parent of a ward reading in the school, said here.

Though the horrifying incident occurred July 2 in the premises of Vibgyor High School, it came to light July 15 when the victim's parents lodged a complaint with police, as the school management failed to act against the accused.

"There is an attempt to destroy evidence and hush up the crime. We suspect the school management is trying to protect the accused, as it failed to register a case when the minor told her class teacher July 9 that she was sexually abused by the sports teacher and physical instructor in a room," Reddy said.

"We will not allow the school to hold classes till the accused are arrested and police file a case against its management for criminal negligence," said Reddy, a former legislator from the opposition BJP from K.R. Puram in the city's eastern suburb.

Refuting any delay in acting on the parents' complaint, a police officer said the accused were being interrogated and a special investigation team was formed to collect evidence against them.

"The investigation is on and we are waiting for the medical report of the child as part of evidence, It's a sensitive case as the victim is just six-year-old," the officer said, wishing anonymity.

"We have not been able to seek her version about the incident as she is still recovering from the trauma," the officer said.

Meanwhile, protests continued in front of the school Friday, as hundreds of Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists joined the parents and sought action against the management for failing to provide safety to students.

Though the management claimed to have re-opened the school Friday, parents refused to send their wards due to protests and tense situation prevailing in the vicinity.

In a related development, lawmakers of opposition BJP staged a walkout from the state legislative assembly in the city, protesting the failure of the ruling Congress party in ensuring safety of girls and women in the city.

The agitated lawmakers also sought the resignation of Home Minister K.J. George for the steady rise in crimes against women across the state.