72-year-old man arrested for sexual assault on Class VIII student; activist alleges delay in reporting by school

The Coimbatore District (Rural) Police on Wednesday arrested a 72-year-old man on the charge of sexually assaulting a Class VIII student of a school near Mettupalayam.

Meanwhile, a social activist alleged that the school authorities failed to report the incident to the police or Childline promptly, when the student shared her ordeal with her teachers on Tuesday.

The police said that the accused had been running a stationery store close to the school. The alleged sexual assault took place on Tuesday morning, when the girl went to his shop to purchase a notebook.

The girl, after fleeing from the perpetrator, rushed to her teachers and alerted them about the incident. However, the headmistress allegedly contacted the girl’s mother and sent her home, alleged social activist S. Basha.

Mr. Basha said he came to know about the incident from the person known to the girl’s family late on Tuesday. He visited the family and assured assistance in reaching out to the police.

According to him, the school teachers refused to accompany the girl’s mother to the police station, when she sought their help on Tuesday.

“A few of them also advised the mother to desist from lodging a complaint, stating that the case proceedings would affect the girl’s future,” Mr. Basha alleged.

The girl’s mother lodged a complaint with the All Women Police Station, Mettupalayam, on Wednesday, based on which a case was registered against the accused under Section 5 (l) (whoever commits penetrative sexual assault on the child more than once or repeatedly) and 10 (punishment for aggravated sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

Coimbatore District Superintendent of Police K. Karthikeyan said the accused was arrested and remanded on Wednesday.

R. Balamurali, Chief Educational Officer, Coimbatore, said the headmistress of the school claimed to have informed the police about the incident late on Tuesday. He said allegations against the headmistress that the sexual assault was not reported promptly would be checked.