Thane: Bus attendant molests Std 2 kids returning from picnic

The Kapurbawadi police have arrested a 27yearold private bus attendant for sexually assaulting around 8 girls studying in Grade 2 of a wellknown international school in Thane The incident took place on the bus when the kids were returning to Thane after a schoolorganised picnicAfter the incident came to light parents gathered at the school premises demanding the suspension of the management staff including the CEO principal and school teachers The parents claim that the school had organised a picnic through a third party without their consent The parents gathered at the school again at 730 am today to protest against the management and demand suspension of those responsible for the kidsrsquo wellbeing during the tripAccording to the police a group of Grade 2 students were taken for a day picnic to Kidzania Ghatkopar on February 20 The school had organised the trip through Adventure Education Tours ldquoThe incident took place when the kids were returning to Thane There was a group of 40 students on the bus all in the age group of 7 to 8 years The girls claimed that on the pretext of giving sweets and food the bus attendant had sexually assaulted themrdquo said a police officerParents speakThe complainant who filed a case at Kapurbawadi police station said ldquoAround 4 pm on Wednesday I reached the school and my daughter was upset When I questioned her she told me about the sexual assault I asked her about the teachers and was told three teachers were sitting in the front seat There was also a female attendant but she was sleeping at the front of the bus The monster committed the crime on the back seat and the teachers didnt even bother to check what was happeningrdquo the parent said adding that a few other girls also said they had been molestedldquoWe found around eight kids had complained about the assault We approached the management and principal But she rejected the claims saying no such thing had happened Since we got no response from the management we directly approached the police We stayed at the police station till 2 am and made sure a case was registeredrdquo the complainant saidAccording to the complainant the police visited her house on Wednesday and took her daughterrsquos statement ldquoIt was too embarrassing for us as she kept asking why it all happened to her There was no answer to her question She is just 7 years old and cant understand what really happenedrdquo she addedAnother parent who accompanied a group of parents who met the school management and principal on Wednesday said ldquoFirstly the school arranged a picnic through a third party which was not known to any of the parents Now they claim that the third party is involved in the crime and the school management isnrsquot involvedrdquoThe parent asserted that they are demanding the suspension of the CEO principal and the three teachers who were present on the bus when the incident took place ldquoWe all will gather again today and ensure no student enters the school premises until action is taken But we will not stop the SSC and HSC students whose exams are going onrdquo the parent saidAccused presented in courtMeanwhile the police have booked the attendant under Sections 354 354a and 509 of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence POCSO Act 2012Amar Singh Jadhav deputy commissioner of police Zone V said ldquoWe have registered a case and have arrested the accused Further investigation is underwayrdquoThe attendantmdashJaved Mohammed Khan 27mdashis a resident of Goregaon ldquoHe was produced in court and remanded to police custodyrdquo a police officer saidSchool begins inquiry terminates teachers pending probeAfter the parents gathered to protest on Wednesday the school cancelled trips they had organised for other students and also formed an internal committee to inquire into the incident The three teachers who were on the bus have also been terminated until the inquiry is complete The protest also saw local political leaders demanding the suspension of those found guilty of negligenceSpeaking with media persons the school principal said ldquoWe accept that it was an unfortunate incident We are cooperating with the police in the matter The kids didnt inform the teachers at the time of the incident and informed their parents later We got to know of the incident only after a latenight email was sent to usrdquoAccording to the school principal this is not the first time a picnic was organised through Adventure Education Tours ldquoWe have signed an MOU and for the last 9 years have been organising local statewide and international trips for kids through themrdquo she said adding that an internal committee has been formed to investigate the incident and action will be taken as per the findings8No or girls who complained of assaultQUOTElsquoI asked my daughter about the teachers and was told three teachers were sitting on the front seat There was also a female attendant but she was sleeping at the front of the bus The monster committed the crime on the back seat and the teachers didnt even bother to check what was happeningrsquoThe complainant