Driver rapes Class 6 girl inside school van in Kanpur; school authorities booked for trying to hush up incident

It is alleged that the school authorities had also asked the Class 6 girl not to share her ordeal with anyone.

According to the police, the girl’s parents, who are speech and hearing impaired, informed the matter to the police on Friday evening.

The parents, who work as labourers in a factory, alleged that around 8 am the van driver picked their daughter from home and at that time she was alone in the vehicle.

“The driver stopped his vehicle at a secluded place and raped the girl. The man also threatened the victim with dire consequences after sexually assaulting her. Later, he picked other students from their houses. After dropping all students, including the victim, at school, Ramesh parked the vehicle inside the school compound and escaped,” said a police officer.

“We will conduct a forensic examination of the accused and the vehicle for evidence,” said Kanpur Additional DCP Akash Patel, adding that the medical examination of the girl has been done.

On reaching school, the girl informed two teachers about the incident who later took her to the school principal and manager, the police said.

“They advised the girl not to inform the incident to anyone. After school, she was sent home in another van. The girl informed the matter to her parents, who called up the school authorities. The school officials asked the parents to come the next day,” said an officer.

The police have registered a POCSO case in addition to slapping charges under section 376 (rape), 202 (intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).