Mumbai police have arrested a 59-year-old female caretaker for allegedly molesting a 4-year-old student inside school premises.
The police booked her under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. She will be produced before a court Tuesday for remand, The Times of India reported.
The incident came to light when the student confided to her cousin about the crime. Her parents were alerted when they noticed that their daughter was not willing to go to school as she was reportedly scared. She had also been complaining about abdominal pains for a week.
"On Sunday night, when the parents inquired as to why she was scared, she revealed she had been sexually assaulted in the school toilet by a 'maushi' (woman caretaker). The parents then visited Masina hospital in Byculla for a medical check-up which revealed that the girl had some injuries on her private parts," a police official was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
"The principal of the school received a call from the parents following which the suspect was detained on Monday morning," the official added.
According to the police, the reputed school in Mumbai has CCTV cameras everywhere inside the school premises except the washrooms. The crime took place inside the toilet and the police believe that it may have happened more than once, reported HT.
The suspect, however, has denied the allegations. She had been working in the school since 1999 and was bound to retire May next year.
"We called for a meeting of parents and members of the executive body. We called two school helpers who would interact with the children regularly and the girl has identified one of them. The staffer has denied the allegations but we have suspended her pending investigation," the school principal was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
