A five-year-old student of a private school was allegedly sexually assaulted by a sweeper inside the school premises in south Delhi's GK-2 area, police said on Tuesday, 13 August.
The accused has been identified as Picha Mutthu (45), a resident of Sudhar Camp, Kalkaji, they said.
According to police, the matter came to light on 8 August after the minor's mother alleged that her daughter was sexually assaulted in the washroom by Mutthu, who works as a sweeper in the school.
A medical examination of the victim conducted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital confirmed that the minor girl was sexually assaulted, a senior police officer said.
A case was registered under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said.
The accused, who has been working in the school for nearly 20 years (since 2008), was arrested the same day, the officer added.
The girl identified the accused and he was sent to judicial custody.
Statements of the victim and the mother were recorded. CCTV footage and digital video recorder have also been seized, they added.
A report from Hindustan Times says that the Deputy Commissioner has confirmed that there were multiple complaints of sexual abuse against the accused. In fact, the police has also sought help fro an NGO to counsel other students of the school, to see if the accused is a serial offender.
The crime was reported to the police on Wednesday, 7 August when the girl complained of pain in her abdomen. The medical examination of the child then revealed signs of rape.
Upon counseling by the NGO, the said that she had been lured in to the washroom by the sweeper and other isolated places across the school, the HT report said.
According to the report, the sweeper, a father of three has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
“On getting to know of the sexual assault by a non-teaching member of the school, the principal immediately handed him over to the police and provided all details about him without any delay," the school told Hindustan Times.
(With inputs from PTI and Hindustan Times)
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