The parents of a Class IV student of a private school have accused their daughter’s school nurse of sexually assaulting the nine-year-old child in the school’s sick room more than a month ago.
Police have lodged an FIR against the nurse and also against the vice-principal and an assistant teacher of the school on Saturday night on the complaint by the girl’s father. Dhanbad police have constituted a medical board which is conducting a medical examination of the girl.
“The girl told the police that when she went to the sick room of the school with abdominal pain around a month ago, the nurse did something wrong to her after which she fainted,”superintendent of police (rural) Aman Kumar said on Sunday.
“She couldn’t properly explain what happened to her. “We have questioned the nurse, who denied the accusations. She said that other people also remain present in the sick room then how can such an incident happen,” the police officer added.
Only the medical report would be able to confirm any assault, he said.
“We have registered the FIR against the three accused as father of girl also charged the vice-principal and the assistant teacher of supporting the nurse but only the medical report will help throw further light,” the officer said.
The girl’s statement has been recorded before a magistrate, he added.
The girl’s father told the cops that around a month ago, he got a call that his daughter had fainted in school after. He brought her to home and later took her to a local nursing home where she was given some medicine.
When the father again took his daughter to a private doctor around a week ago, the doctor indicated that the girl may have suffered an assault.
The father asked the girl again, and she said the nurse did “something wrong” with her. The vice-principal and the assistant class teacher were allegedly present when the girl fainted.
The school management led by the principal — along with principals of other branches of the school — on Sunday suspended the three accused, met SP Kumar and promised all support in the investigation.
The school principal expressed anguish and promised anyone guilty would not be shielded. “We are deeply hurt over the incident and can’t believe that such an incident can happen with a girl of such a tender age. We have assured full cooperation in a free and fair enquiry into the incident and have suspended the three accused. At the same time, we have also requested police to not make any arrest until the charges are proved against the accused.”
Madhurendra Singh, member of Child Line Dhanbad, said: “We have demanded a high level probe into the issue from the police as well as from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.”