Bengaluru: The 10th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court (ACMM) on Friday sent Jaishankar, the teacher accused of raping a six-year-old schoolgirl, to seven days in police custody.
The 37-year-old Hindi teacher of Indiranagar Cambridge School had reportedly raped the girl in the boys’ toilet twice – on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“The accused has confessed to the crime. For the police it was an easier case as the victim was very clear in her statements and described the crime meted out to her, including the crime spot,” said N. Satheesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Division).
The parents of the victim were also taken to the court by the police to record their statements before the magistrate. In their statement, they reiterated to the court that the first standard student was sexually assaulted by the teacher.
The victim had complained of abdominal pain and uneasiness while walking. Her mother then took her to a private hospital, where it was confirmed that she was sexually assaulted.
A formal complaint was registered at Jeevan Bhima Nagar police station on Wednesday evening and the accused was arrested by the police. Jaishankar has been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 376 (rape) and sections 5 and 6 under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO). Jaishankar will be in police custody till November 7.
According to the police, Jaishankar had been working at the school for seven years and the investigating officials are probing his past conduct, to check if there were similar incidents. The officials came to know that he had ‘unusual’ sexual orientation and remained aloof from his colleagues.
Police chief visits school
Meanwhile, city Police Commissioner M.N. Reddi along with Additional Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar visited the school to take stock of the situation. Reddi later told this newspaper that “We will also file a chargesheet against the accused after completing the investigation.”
Action against management
The city police will book a case under Section 188 of IPC against Indiranagar Cambridge School for failing to implement the safety guidelines. A few months ago police had booked cases against 186 schools, including this school, for not complying with safety norms.
During the visit, Alok Kumar had to deal with agitated parents, who were seen raising slogans against the police.
After visiting the school, Police Commissioner M.N. Reddi said “We have not found any culpability of the school management regarding the sexual abuse of the girl by her teacher. But we will book the school under Section 188 again for not implementing the safety guidelines.”
School chairman unavailable
Although members of the school management were present at the police station on Thursday night, they stayed away from the school on Friday.
Alok Kumar, Additional Commissioner of police (Law and Order) said, “We had asked them to come, but they have not.” Block Education Officer Ramesh said, “The members of the management or staff were unavailable throughout the day and their mobile phones were switched off.”
“We could reach neither the chairman nor the management of the school. But the police contacted the chairman’s brother and have spoken to him about the safety measures implemented in the school.
We have also asked him to convey the message to his brother to meet the police so that they can schedule a meeting with the parents and management of the school,” police officials said.
Meanwhile Hundreds of parents protest
Hundreds of parents of Cambridge schoolchildren arrived at the school around 8 am on Friday to drop their wards as they were unaware that the school had been shut for the day following the rape of a six-year-old girl by a Hindi teacher.
The parents protested against the school management for not providing enough security for their children.
BJP leader and former MLA Nandish Reddy and area MLA Raghu joined the protest and demanded the arrest of school owner, who is a local Congress leader.
