HC PUTS SCHOOL IN THE DOCK

May face action under POCSO Act for failing to report abuse incidents to police despite being aware of it

- Urvi Mahajani

The Bombay High Court has emphasised that there can be no compromise on the safety and security of girls, terming the sexual assault of two kindergarten girls inside their school premises at Badlapur as 'absolutely shocking' on Thursday.

The court further said that action should be initiated against the school authorities as well under the stringent POCSO Act, for failing to report the incidents to police despite being aware about it. The HC had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the sexual assault on minor girls on August 12 and 13 in the washroom of the school by a male attendant who was hired on contractual basis on August 1. The FIR in the case was registered only on August 16.

The court observed that the police machinery had not moved till the public came on streets. On August 20, people had protested on the streets and staged a rail blockade after police and the school failed to act against the culprit. "Unless there is strong public outburst, machinery will not move. Won't the state move till public outbursts like this?" asked a bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday.

The judges said they were appalled to learn that Badlapur police had not probed the case. "Such serious matters where girls as young as three and four years old have been sexually assaulted... How can the police take it so lightly?" the judges questioned. "If schools are not a safe place what is a child supposed to do? What did a three- and four year-child do? This is absolutely shocking," it added.