Lucknow: A madarsa care taker, arrested in a late Friday night swoop down for allegedly harassing the inmates of his
institution sexually, was produced in a CBI court and sent to 14-day judicial remand here on Saturday. The joint
district administration and police team, led by SSP Deepak Kumar, had rescued around 51 girls from the madarsa during
the raid.
The incident was reported when some of the inmates of the all–girl madras -- Jamiya Khadeezatul Lilmominat --located
in old city areas of Lucknow, had dropped some slips while writing their sufferings on them in the adjoining houses.
Consequently, the neighbours alerted the madarsa owner Sayyed Mohammed Jilani Ashraf, who in turn, got in touch with
SSP Deepak Kumar about the activities of the care taker Tayyab Zia.
After confirming the facts from the local residents, the SSP led the joint team comprising of Additional District
Magistrate and Additional City Magistrate along with force from various police stations to conduct raid on the
institution. Tayyab Zia was arrested in the raids and 51 inmates present at the madarsa were rescued. The victims were
then taken to a Nari Niketan in Lucknow and their parents were subsequently infomed.
After the action, SSP Deepak Kumar said that some girls were held captive at madarsa by Zia. He confirmed that around
151 girls were on the roll of madarsa and of them seven had complained of sexual harassment at the hands of the care
taker.
However, the local residents claimed that Zia had indulged in such activities earlier also. “He is believed to be a
serial offender and had put the girls under fear by flaunting his high-profile links,” said the SSP.
SP (West) Vikas Chandra Tripathi said that an FIR was lodged against Zia and a case under sections dealing with
molestation, attempt to rape and POCSO (Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences) was lodged against him. He said
that the girls present in the madarsa were till standard 12.
“Zia used to call us to his room in the night and ask us to do a number of personal tasks. On resisting his advances,
he used to beat us ruthlessly and torture in many ways,” said a victim while talking to TNIE.
However, on Saturday, the girls and their belongings were handed over to their parents who demanded strictest punishment for Zia.