Authorities on Tuesday demolished the house of a school bus driver who has been arrested for allegedly raping a three-and-a-half-year-old nursery student in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal.
The demolition in Bhopal's Shahpura area took place under the supervision of police. Illegal construction was the official reason given by the authorities for carrying out the demolition.
Armed with a hammer, the men destroyed the house located in a tiny lane as officials kept watch.
The demolition in progress
The demolition is complete
Along with the bus driver, a woman attendant who, according to the child's parents, was present inside the vehicle when the incident took place last Thursday in Bhopal, has also been arrested, said police.
A case has been registered under Indian Penal Code Section 376-AB (rape of a girl under 12 years of age) and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The child, studying in a leading private school in Bhopal, was returning home in the bus when the offence took place.
After the girl returned home, her mother noticed that someone had changed the child's clothes with the spare set kept in her bag.
The mother then enquired with her daughter's class teacher and also the school principal, but both of them denied having changed the child's clothes.
On asking the child who changed the dress, she told them that the "bus uncle" changed the dress.
On being pressed further, the nursery student confirmed the bus driver "badly touching" her private parts, face, lips.
The parents went to the school the next day to complain to the authorities and the child identified the driver, said police.
Despite the school bus being equipped with CCTV, the footage of the day concerned wasn't available.
"While both accused have been arrested, I strongly feel that the school management has tried to cover up the shocking incident. The school management too will be questioned by police and on being found wanting in the matter, action will be initiated against them too, said Home minister Narottam Mishra.
The former deputy speaker of Vidhan Sabha and Congress legislator Hina Kaware blamed the "insensitivity" of Shivraj Singh Chouhan government for such crimes.
"Mere framing of laws won't help, their proper implementation is needed. The present state government is insensitive to this aspect. We'll raise the issue majorly in the Vidhan Sabha," said Ms Kaware.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has written to the Bhopal district collector and sought a detailed report on the incident within three days.
The school education department has constituted a three-member probe panel, headed by a joint director level officer, to investigate the matter.
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