Parents protest outside the Kolkata school over the alleged sexual abuse of a four-year-old girl
GD Birla Centre for Education, the school that is in the eye of a storm of protests in Kolkata, has named the four-year-old girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted by two teachers in a letter to all parents of the school to explain why the school has been shut down indefinitely.
A letter addressed to "dear parents", dated December 2, and signed by the principal S Nath says, "We are as concerned as you would be with regard to the safety and security of your ward who is a student of the school."
The second paragraph in the letter says, "The issue concerning [name of the child] is under investigation by the police."
Parents are shocked. "This is unethical and illegal," said a parent who got the letter.
"The naming of the girl demonstrates how callous the school is about the whole thing," said another parent.
The father of the four-year-old girl has already filed a police complaint against the principal for allegedly trying to remove evidence of the crime. The Committee for the Protection of Child Rights has also demanded her arrest for "aiding and abetting" the crime.
There are plans to march to the police headquarters tomorrow if the principal is not arrested. The principal naming the four-year-old child in the letter will only make the protest against her stronger, a parent said.
Lawyers say the principal has violated every legal norm and also provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act which prohibits naming of minor sexual assault survivors.