Nainital police have arrested a security guard who had allegedly attempted to sexually exploit a minor in the school premises. The accused named Ashok Mandal, native of West Bengal, was sent to Jail after being presented in the court. The incident occurred on October 6 night at the hostel in a well-known school, situated in Tallital police station area in Nainital.
As school authority was responsible for looking after the children, the police have booked school authority under section 23 of Juvenile Justice Act, said Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police Vimmi Sachdeva while talking to The Pioneer on Monday. She said that the victim’s statement was recorded under section 164 of CrPC before the magistrate.
The police officer further said that taking cognisance of the report received from the complainant’s family, a case under Sections of IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered against unidentified persons.
With the formation of a team to look into this matter, ASP Sweta Chaubey was assigned to monitor the case. Teams has begun working and searching for the accused. Teams also reviewed the CCTV footages of the hostel and based on that a security guard who was responsible for the incident was arrested.
Agency which had deployed the security guard to this school will also be booked under Section 23 of JJ Act, she added. Sources said that person booked under Section 23 of JJ Act can be sentenced up to six months’ imprisonment by the court.
State director General of Police BS Sidhu said that in such incidents, the school authority will also be booked under Section 23 of JJ Act as school authorities are responsible for looking after the children. Police will also book the agency authority under the same Act. An advisory has been issued to the school authorities through police officer, directing them to install CCTV cameras at common area in the college/school and hostel campus.