Navi Mumbai: School bus driver arrested for sexually abusing 4-year-old

Navi Mumbai’s NRI Coastal police have arrested the driver of a school bus for allegedly sexually abusing a four-year-old boy. Parents of the child’s peers will stage a non-violent protest near the school premises on Monday morning, demanding the sacking of the principal.

The matter came to light after the boy was rushed to the nearest hospital as he was experiencing pain in his rectum. “On April 24, we received a complaint that the child had been sexually abused. An FIR was registered, and the bus driver was booked under the POCSO [Protection of Children from Sexual Offences] Act and arrested within an hour. We are investigating the matter,” a police officer said.

The accused is in the custody of Navi Mumbai’s NRI Coastal police. Representation Pic/iStock

According to sources, alarmed by the incident, the distressed parents of the boy went to the school and approached the principal. “However, the principal dismissed their concerns, saying their son was imagining things. Angered, the parents informed everyone in a WhatsApp group. On Saturday, April 26, parents gathered near the gate of the school, but they were denied entry. It has been decided that a peaceful protest will be conducted on Monday morning,” said Sachin Kadam, city secretary of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Navi Mumbai.

“Despite us paying exorbitant fees, the principal failed to provide our children with basic security. Our kids are unsafe on school premises. We demand that the principal be sacked. Students need to feel secure at school,” said a parent.

Kadam also alleged that the school lacks basic infrastructure and there are serious security concerns. “We have received complaints stating that children find the school’s washrooms unsafe, as they lack attendants to take children there. It’s the management’s duty to provide an adequate staff and ensure that the students thrive in a healthy environment,” he said.

The school has sent a WhatsApp text to parents, and the message states that the institute was well aware that a case had been registered under the POCSO Act. 

“The school is conducting an internal inquiry and is cooperating with the investigating agencies. In view of the above, the school reassures all parents and reiterates its commitment to upholding the safety and well-being of the children enrolled in the school,” the message reads.