Mumbai: The 12 tribal girls who were raped at a school in Hivarkheda village of Buldhana district have all refused to return to school following the incident. Moreover, some other students have also declined to attend the school.
According to a report in DNA, some students have even threatened to kill themselves, if their parents forced them to go back to the residential school.
The school, which has a strength of nearly 50 students, has been in the news as 11 people have been arrested for raping one of the tribal girls, who became pregnant following the rape.
“If my parents force me, I will end my life. Ending life is better than studying in a school where our sisters get molested and raped,” a Class 6 student was quoted as saying by DNA.
Residents of the village said their daughters were now afraid to go to school. They have refused to rejoin the school out of fear.
"My girl's generation was the first in our family to go to school. We are illiterate and dreamed that our girls will study and get government jobs... that one day, they will become teacher, doctor or collector. Now, all our hopes are dashed. The incident has devastated our lives. We don't know how to deal with these girls and convince them of the importance of studies,” a landless labourer was quoted as saying.
Deputy Sarpanch of Halkheda said that the parents also do not feel comfortable to send their daughters to school any more.
The villagers feel the state government should start a school in their village itself.
Worse, a student claimed that some teachers always came drunk to school and passed out before class. There were frequent power cuts and no compound wall, forcing students to sleep out in the open.
She claimed that intruders knocked on the doors at night and threw stones inside if the doors were not opened.
“Once, when I complained to a teacher about the horrid state of affairs at the hostel, he badly slapped me. It left one of my cheeks swollen for 10 days. When my father came to meet me, I told him everything and left the school for good,” she added.
The girl’s father said that his daughter fell ill frequently due to the bad food served at the school.
The rapes came to light when one of the girls complained of pain in her stomach during Diwali, and was found to be pregnant. Police have so far arrested 11 in connection with the crimes.
