In a shocking incident, a 35-year-old school bus driver was arrested for allegedly raping a 10-year-old student of a reputed school.
According to the Hindustan Times, the incident took place towards the end of January. The accused was the driver of the school bus and, on the day of the incident, the girl was standing next to the accused. He touched her inappropriately, and after the incident, the 10-year-old immediately told a teacher, who was designated caretaking duties of the school bus, and narrated her the entire incident.
The teacher then reported the incident to the school authorities. The management of the school told senior staffers to apprehend the driver. A police officer told the leading daily, “They (school authorities) brought the driver to us and told us what had happened. But the parents of the child did not want to send the girl to record her statement.”
Although the school promptly reported the rape by the driver to the police, the parents initially did not want to pursue the case. After counselling the parents, to let her their child record her statement, they finally agreed and the statement of the child was recorded. The police have registered a case under section 376 (punishment for rape) under the Indian Penal Code and section 4 and 8 of Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
