Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday suspended vice-principal and teachers of a government school in northwest Delhi over their alleged failure to report to police the sexual assault of two minor boys by their classmates during a summer camp held in April. Their suspension was ordered on Tuesday, reports The Indian Express.
The Chief Minister also directed the Directorate of Education (DoE) to prepare high-quality material for reference of all teachers and principals and issue guidelines for schools to handle cases of abuse in a supportive environment for children.
The two boys, aged 12 and 13, were allegedly sexually assaulted by five-six of their classmates in separate incidents in the school in April during a summer camp.
According to the parents of one of the victims, she said that the vice-principal and the teachers were informed about the alleged assault, however, no action was taken.
An FIR in connection with the case was registered on Sunday after the victim’s parents were approached by the police.
The parents of the two boys have filed separate complaints with the police alleging sexual assault. According to an official, the 13-year-old boy, who is in Class 8, alleged that his classmates had forcefully taken him into a park and sexually assaulted him there, who also threatened him not to disclose the incident before anyone, reported PTI.
A few days when the boys started troubling the Class 8 boy again, he went and spoke about the incident to the teachers who also allegedly asked him not to disclose the incident.
The victim then informed his parents, who later made a PCR call, following which a case was registered on Sunday.
Following the incident, Delhi Education Minister Atishi called it a “deeply disturbing act” and has written to the DoE saying, “It is especially worrying that the students had informed the teachers and the vice principal, but they did not bring it to the notice of the police or any higher authorities. Not only is this immoral, but also against the law. As per the POCSO Act, non-reporting of sexual abuse – by any adult who is aware of the abuse – is a criminal offence,” Atishi noted.
“While the criminal proceedings into the matter will continue, the teachers and the vice principal concerned should be suspended immediately. Disciplinary action should be initiated against them for failing to report the matter to police,” she said, citing the directions of the Chief Minister.
In her note to DoE, she also instructed to ensure rigorous training of all principals and teachers on provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, mandatory reporting, tools for early identification of abuse, types of abuse, impact of abuse on children and remedial measures to avoid such incidents in future.