A four-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by the school van driver, who transports children to a private playschool in Indore. Following a complaint from the parents, the driver, identified as Sumit, was apprehended by the police on Friday evening, PTI reported.
The incident came to light when the child exhibited unusual behaviour and complained of discomfort in her private areas. According to Vijay Tiwari, the in-charge of Sanyogitaganj Police Station, the girl revealed that the accused had touched her private parts and sexually assaulted her.
The accused would pick up the child every morning at 11:30 and drop her home at 5:30 in the evening. On Wednesday the child was the last one to be dropped back home. The accused had parked the van at a secluded spot and sexually assaulted her.
The sexual assault was confirmed by a gynaecologist when the child was taken by her parents, after she complained of discomfort in her private areas and the parents immediately informed the police, according to The Times of India.
Subsequently, the child was taken to the police station and underwent a medical examination. The police obtained the driver’s information from the private playschool and apprehended him later that evening.
Forensics team seized the van that is owned by Kashyap. The accused faces charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, including rape, assault, and criminal intimidation. On Friday, the accused was produced in court and remanded in jail, reports PTI.
This is the third incident in the past 15 days. Two days earlier an incident of an auto driver kidnapping and raping a nine-year-old tribal girl in Khandwa came into light.
Ten days ago, an e-rickshaw driver in Ujjain was also arrested for raping a 12-year-old girl.