KRISHNAGIRI: The director of a private school and children's home was arrested in Hosur on Sunday for the aggravated penetrative sexual assault of a nine-year-old girl residing at the home. Four others, including a teacher and the man's wife, were also arrested for failing to report the offence under the Pocso Act.
Police said that on September 9, a teacher at the school informed the child's mother that the student had a health issue. On the same evening, the child was taken home. "On September 12, the child was taken to the District Headquarters Hospital at Hosur where the child told the health staff that she had been touched inappropriately, but a police complaint was not lodged," police said.
On Sunday, the child's mother and a friend went to the children's home to confront the management about the issue. "At the time, the five suspects -- a female teacher (34), the director (61), his wife (61) and his two friends (age 61 and 63) -- were present and argued with the mother about the issue," police said.
Following this, a call was then made to Krishnagiri Child Welfare Committee, and the matter was also reported to the District Child Protection Unit. Based on the information, child protection staff, Legal cum Probation Officer (LPO) J Raghuraman, and two protection officers looked into the matter on Sunday, after which, based on an LPO Complaint at the Hosur All Women’s Police Station, a case was registered against all five persons, police sources said.
Sources added that the children’s home had been functioning for over three decades but its licence had expired in April. A few years ago, the licence had been cancelled but was later obtained again through legal processes. District Education Officer (private schools) Gopalappa told TNIE he had inspected the school two months ago and the facility lacked proper infrastructure; renewal of its approval is also pending.
While the director was booked under Sections 5 (l) (m) (f) (p), r/w 6 of the Pocso Act and 351(2) of the BNS, the other four were booked under Section 21 of the Pocso Act.
Health department sources said they would look into why the staff at the district headquarters hospital failed to report the matter.