Bhopal School Sealed, Process to Cancel Affiliation Begins After Teacher Sexually Harasses 3-Year-Old Student

A private primary school in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh has been sealed days after a computer teacher allegedly raped a three-and-half-year-old child from kindergarten, officials said on Friday.

Accused Kasim Rehan, whom the victim fondly called ‘Daddy uncle’, was arrested on Wednesday under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act provisions, as per police.

The sealing process began on Thursday and steps are being taken to cancel its MP Board affiliation, an official said.

The district project coordinator has served a notice to the school and cancellation of affiliation will take place after due deliberation since it involves the future of children studying there, district education officer (DEO) NK Ahirwar told PTI.

Speaking about the probe into the case, assistant commissioner of police (women’s safety) Nidhi Saxena said statements of the victim’s parents have been recorded, while a “support person” has been provided to the child, whose statement too will be recorded in court.

The mobile phone of the 28-year-old accused has been sent for forensic analysis, Saxena, who heads the SIT formed to probe the case, told PTI.

The victim used to call the accused ‘Daddy uncle’, she added.

“He is addicted to porn and watches such clips on his mobile phone. Before committing the crime in the school’s washroom, he had watched such videos. These have been recovered from his cellphone. He had divorced his wife some months ago,” a source said.

The source added that the accused was a member of a motorcycle group and had, incidentally, taken part in a candlelight vigil in March to protest the rape of a foreign national in Jharkhand.

Officials said the child’s mother approached police on Monday after the school management allegedly ignored her complaint.

The child’s mother spotted injury marks on her private parts and had confronted the school management, they added.

Functionaries of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad had protested against the incident and had sought capital punishment for Rehan.