NDMC school rape case: DCW sends notices to Delhi Police, institute's authority

Following the alleged rape of a six-year-old girl at a civic body-run school here, the DCW today sent notices to the police and the school's authority, asking them to inform it about the safety measures at the institute.

The girl, a class two student of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC)-run school in the Gol Market area, was allegedly raped by an electrician inside the institute's premises, police said.

Calling for strong action against the accused, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal asked if a background check of the electrician had been done and whether there were safety measures such as CCTV cameras in the school.

"The DCW issued notices to the Delhi Police and the school's authority to ascertain safety measures implemented in the school," she said.

The victim's mother has alleged that the school was trying to cover up the matter, Maliwal claimed, asking how male staff had access to toilets for girl students.

The incident came to light when the girl narrated her ordeal to her parents after returning from school yesterday, a police official said.

The accused, identified as Ram Asre (37), has been working in the school for around a month and is a permanent electrician employed with the NDMC, police said.

He has been arrested and a case registered against him under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, they said.

Maliwal said Asre should be given capital punishment under the ammended Criminal Law.

She also asked whether the school has plans to conduct counselling sessions for students and teachers.

Over two children were raped in the national capital every day in the first four months of this year, according to Delhi Police data.

Till April 30, 282 cases of child rape were reported as opposed to 278 last year during the same period. Last year, 894 such cases were reported, as per the data.

In September last year, a five-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 40-year-old peon inside the premises of a private school in Shahdara, following which he was arrested.