A shocking incident has emerged from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, where a three-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a teacher at a private school. The case has sparked widespread outrage, prompting swift action from authorities and protests from concerned citizens.
What happened?
The alleged assault occurred at an English medium private school, where the victim’s mother reported noticing bruises on her daughter’s body after she returned home on Monday. The mother initially approached the school management with her concerns, but her complaints were reportedly ignored.
Following this, she took her daughter to the Kamla Nagar police station to file a formal complaint against the accused teacher, identified as Qasim Rehan.”
Since the victim is very young, it took some time to uncover the incident, but once we received the complaint, we immediately took action and arrested the accused,” stated Bhopal Commissioner of Police Harinarayanchari Mishra.
Police officials confirmed that they arrested Rehan after gathering evidence at the school. He has been charged under sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Immediate Actions Taken
In response to the incident, local authorities have sealed the school and initiated proceedings to revoke its affiliation. Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Archana Sharma announced that a committee has been formed to investigate the matter thoroughly. “We have sealed the school building, and the process to cancel its affiliation has been initiated. The order will be issued in the next few hours,” she added.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav condemned the act, calling it “extremely disgusting, shameful, and condemnable.” He assured that strict action would be taken against the accused and emphasized that justice would be sought through a special court.
Government Response and Public Outcry
The Madhya Pradesh School Education Minister Uday Pratap Singh echoed these sentiments, promising that legal action would be taken against Rehan. An inquiry committee has been established to investigate further and assess whether proper safety measures were in place at the school, including whether CCTV cameras were installed.
#WATCH | On the rape of a minor girl by her teacher in a Bhopal school, Madhya Pradesh School Education Minister Uday Pratap Singh says, ” It is a condemnable incident. Police took immediate action and made arrests. Legal action will be taken against the accused. An inquiry… pic.twitter.com/jRaLb225Zp
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) September 18, 2024
The incident has led to public protests in Bhopal, with activists demanding justice for the young victim and stricter regulations for schools to ensure children’s safety. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student organization, was among those who staged demonstrations against what they describe as a failure of law enforcement and school administration.
