Kolkata sexual assault: Principal removed, school to reopen tomorrow
KOLKATA: High drama ended at a posh south Kolkata school on Wednesday, that was witness to parents' agitation since the past five days over sexual assault of a four-year-old girl student, after school authorities decided to remove the principal from her post in lieu of re-opening the school from Thursday onwards.
The decision was reached after a three-hour-long meeting between school authorities and the parents' forum formed to represent the parents. While the parents refused to budge from their demand of removal of principal Sharmila Nath as a requisite for allowing re-opening of the school, the school authorities had tried to bypass the issue of principal's removal by stating that allegations against her are yet to be proved. An FIR had been booked against the principal for trying to conceal the crime.
Stormy scenes were witnessed outside the school premises during the meeting on Wednesday when two sections of parents engaged in sloganeering ending in a brawl over differences over re-opening the school. While parents of junior students had favoured in continuing the agitation, the parents of Class X and Class XII students wanted re-opening of the school because of nearing board exams.
Parents of the students had launched a pitched agitation against the school authorities since December 1 after a four-year-old nursery student was lured into the school bathroom and allegedly raped by two of her teachers Abhishek Roy and Mohammad Mofizuddin on November 30. The two accused were arrested and sent to police custody.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had assured strict action against the guilty but spoke against closure of the school.
West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) chairman Ananya Chatterjee Chakraborti welcomed the decision saying that it would serve a warning to child abuse. "The case has created public awareness about POCSO Act and the agitation would send a stern message to potential child abusers," she said. WBCPCR also issued show cause notice to principal Nath on Wednesday for publishing the name of the victim against Supreme Court guidelines and also recommended arrest of the principal.
The state administration has indicated that the case may serve as the basis for a strict bill against child abuse that may be brought to West Bengal Assembly.
However, a section of parents said that the justice would not be served until the accused of the sexual assault are punished.