One complaint of child sexual abuse at a Bengaluru playschool has opened a can of worms, with several parents now coming forward to reveal the horrors that their children have faced.
On Tuesday, parents of children attending the play school and child rights activists gathered outside the playschool and alleged that it was not the first time the accused, Manju had abused children at the playschool.
Parents say that many of the other children at the playschool have now come forward and informed their parents that they have also faced abuse at the hands of the accused.
“We went to the Marathahalli police station yesterday (Tuesday) at around 8pm and were there till 4 in the morning. Five more FIRs were filed against Manju, who has been accused of sexually assaulting the child. More parents have gone to the police station this morning to file more complaints,” one of the parents told TNM.
He said that his child revealed to him that Manju had tried to assault her, and that she complained to a teacher. But the teacher allegedly dismissed the issue and only gave a ‘warning’ to Manju to not repeat such actions.
The first complaint against Manju was filed on Friday, after a child complained to a parent about pain in the tummy. The parent then asked the child questions, leading to the kid revealing that Manju had sexually abused him.
Some parents alleged that Manju was also in the washroom when the children went in.
“Sexual assault is not the first thing parents think of when children say they have belly-ache. After the incident came to light, I asked my child if Manju had done the same with them as well. The response was shocking. My child said that’s what I have been telling you - that my belly is aching. When I asked my child to describe what happened, that’s when I realised that it was sexual assault,” said the parent of a four-year-old, who goes to the same playschool.
Some parents alleged that after speaking to their children, it was revealed that Manju was present in the room when the ayya would change their clothes before nap time and that he would volunteer to take the children to the washroom.
As the protests gather steam and more parents speak out, the Marathahalli police have arrested the principal and two other officials of the playschool. According to the police, owner and prime Centre Co-ordinator Veena and a senior official named Praveena (Zonal Haad) were questioned on Tuesday. The police say they have slapped Section 188 of IPC on the duo and have also booked them under various sections of POCSO. A case under Section 188 of the IPC (Disobedience to orders by a public servant) has been filed against the playschool’s zonal head, Kingston D’souza.
But parents allege that the three officials were taken in for questioning, and were let out on bail in the evening.
The police meanwhile have said that they will record all the statements of parents who come forward. “We are still going through the CCTV footage to see if any of the cameras have captured suspicious activities,” said a police official.
Have conversations with your child. Watch this video by Tulir.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szSgwfbGzUc