The beti bachao beti padhao campaign seems to have taken a nightmarish turn in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh. The students, all from class 10, were called to school for an overnight stay purportedly for a practical exam. Instead, they were offered food laced with sedatives and molested by the school principal and his aide.
The horror tale unfolded on November 18 in Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh. However, the police case was filed only after a fortnight. Subsequently, one of the two accused has been arrested while a search is underway to nab the other. They have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, according to officials.
As per latest inputs, the OiC of the local PS has been suspended for inaction and delaying the case.
Parents said they had sent their children in good faith. “We were not too worried as the large group of 20 were all known to each other,” said an aggrieved parent, adding that since the incident, no girl has ventured even close to the vicinity.
The incident is yet another slur on Uttar Pradesh’s notorious reputation for sexual assault on minor girls. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the state has officially recorded the second highest number of rapes at 2,769, in 2020. It also sheds light on the state of lawlessness and police negligence in the state.
After the terrible night, the girls were threatened not to mention the happenings to their family. Much later, did some victims muster the courage to inform their parents who in turn sought redressal from local BJP legislator Pramod Utwal. Thereon, SSP Abhishek Yadav launched an inquiry. District Inspector of Schools Gajendra Kumar said they will approach the Central Board of Secondary Education to derecognize the school.
