Outrage over rape bid on schoolgirl: 152 booked for damaging school property in protest

A day after the van driver of a private school was arrested for allegedly molesting a four-year-old student following a protest by people at the school, the Haibowal police booked 152 protesters for damaging the school property. 

Two of the accused were identified as Davinder Singh alias Kharku, and Sukhdev Singh alias Sukha of Ladian Kalan village, while the remaining 150 are yet to be identified. 

Haibowal station house officer sub-inspector Mohan Lal said the case under Sections 451 (house-trespass), 323 (causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), 342 (wrongful confinement), 148 (rioting) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered on the basis of the complaint by school director. 

“The protesters who have been booked are not related to the victim. They are mostly outsiders who triggered the protest and damaged school property including computers, AC and windows,” he said. 

The complaint said the protestors barged into the principal’s office, misbehaved with her and also beat one of the employees. 

“The protestors were accusing the school authorities for not taking action against the van driver who, according to the victim’s mother, had allegedly tried to rape the girl. The matter is already in notice of the Dakha police, who are investigating the case. We are coordinating with them in the investigation,” Lal said. 

Following the protest, the school van driver was arrested and booked under Section 354 (molestation) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act by the Dakha police on the complaint of victim’s mother on Tuesday. 

Sub-inspector Ramandeep Kaur, who is the investigating officer, said the matter is under investigation but the medical reports say neither there was rape nor rape attempt by the accused.