Chhattisgarh: Pocso case filed for alleged sexual harassment of minor girl in Bhilai school

RAIPUR: Two months after the incident came to light, Chhattisgarh Police have filed charges under the Pocso Act in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a four-year-old student at a prestigious school in the steel town of Bhilai.
Since the parents refused to file a formal complaint, the Durg District Police filed a case based on an application for a Transfer Certificate (TC) submitted by the parents to the school on the grounds that the child had been “abused” on the school premises.
Talking to TOI, Durg SP Jitendra Shukla said the police came to know that the school had asked the parents to make changes in the TC application as it contained some inappropriate words, but the parents refused. When the police asked the school to give us a copy of the application, we received it on August 31. Based on the application content, which cited “abuse” as the reason for the girl leaving the school, the police filed a complaint under the Pocso Act against the unknown person, SP said.
This development came four days after former chief minister and Congress MP Bhupesh Baghel demanded a high-level probe into the alleged sexual assault, alleging that the police were trying to cover up the POSCO case by not filing an FIR despite the fact that it is a legal requirement in such cases.
The incident took place on July 5 at a reputed school in Bhilai, where the girl complained of abdominal pain and discomfort in her private parts while attending school. When the parents came to the school to pick her up, she was reportedly in a bad condition and the parents complained why they were not informed about her condition.
According to sources, the child's parents never wanted to file a complaint in the matter. However, the reason mentioned in the TC was enough for the police to intervene in the matter on their own initiative.
According to sources, the parents initially suspected that their daughter was being beaten or sexually abused at school. However, video footage from the school, reviewed by the parents and police, shows that the girl was unwell, vomited and was then taken to the toilet by a woman. After that, she returned to class, went to physical education class and was under the supervision of teachers all day.
Relatives of the girl's parents said that the girl was taken to the doctor and prescribed medication for itching and burning in the intimate area.
The police said that due to its sensitivity, the case would be thoroughly investigated and school staff would also be questioned.
The case under the Pocso Act has been filed at the women's police station and the police have sought the family's response.