Bhopal Minor Rape Case: ‘Unclear Whether Sexual Assault On 3-Year-Old Took Place In School’, Principal Tells Child Commission

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): It is still unclear whether the sexual assault on the three-year-old girl took place in school or outside, said the principal of the school. She said that nothing was seen in the CCTV footage as the accused Qasim Rehan was a computer teacher and a technical expert so he must have tampered with them. The women teachers who were on duty that day have been suspended. Swati visited Madhya Pradesh Child Right Protection Commission (MPCRC) office on Monday.  

Chairperson of MPCRPC Dravind More told the Free Press that the principal cooperated with them and it didn’t seem that she was trying to save the accused. She told them that it was unclear whether the sexual assault on the minor girl took place inside the school or outside as the incident occurred on September 13 but it was reported to police on September 16.  

More said that the name of the accused was not mentioned in the FIR as the girl identified the accused after seeing his photograph later. “We told TI to name the accused in the FIR as soon as possible,” he said, adding that the commission would prepare a report on it within a day. On Saturday, a team from the Commission had visited the school and sought some information, which was provided to them. Thirty-five-year old Rehan was arrested on September 17 on the charge of raping a student inside school’s washroom. The girl’s mother had reported it to the police after she noticed bruises on her body.

The district administration had sealed the school on September 19 following protests. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had directed chief secretary Veera Rana to work with the High Court Chief Justice to constitute a special fast-track court for the trial.  Bhopal police commissioner Harinarayanachari Mishra also formed an SIT led by a woman DSP to probe the matter.