In yet another incident that raises question about safety of minor girls in schools, a woman teacher was detained in Bengaluru for questioning for an alleged "assault" of a 5-year-old girl by her.
Based on a complaint by the girl's parents, a case has been registered under the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act, senior police officials said, adding the nature of assault was being probed.
"The complaint says that the five-year-old was assaulted by a madam; ....a case has been registered under sections of POCSO Act," Joint Commissioner of Police Hemant Nimbalkar told PTI.
He said the woman teacher had been taken for questioning after the case was registered at R T Nagar Police station.
On hearing the news, parents of the children studying in the school gathered near it to seek answers from the management but the school remained closed.
DCP North-Bangalore T R Suresh, who visited the school, said a case of atrocity against child has been registered. The parents gave the complaint around 9 pm Friday night, he said, adding, "we have registered the case and it is under investigation."
"All such cases come under POCSO act, whether it is committed by a man or woman. All atrocities against children come under POCSO act...." he added.
The latest incident comes more than three weeks after the sexual assault of a 6-year-old girl in a school by a Hindi teacher who had been arrested. In another incident in October, an office assistant in a school here was arrested for sexual assault of a three-and-a-half-year girl.
An 8-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by her 63-year-old teacher inside her school premises over a period of time with the offence coming to light in early August, barely a month after the rape of a six-year-old girl at 'Vibgyor High' school here.
The series of incidents of sexual assault of minor girls in schools in Bengaluru has led to concerns over safety of children. Police had issued safety guidelines for schools which in many cases have been found to be observing them in the breach.
