A shocking incident of a six- year- old minor being allegedly molested by a store keeper of a Haldwani- based school sparked outrage with the locals gathering at the school and venting anger against the school administration. The accused identified as Bablu alias Balwant Bisht, resident of Haldwani, was arrested. The medical examination of the minor confirmed the molestation, police sources said. Things turned graver as another parent had also registered the same complaint in the police station, alleging that their daughter had been subjected to molestation by the same store keeper of the school.
Acting on both the complaints, a case under section376 of IPC and sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered against the accused in the Haldwani police station, said Nainital SSP Janmajay Khanduri while talking to The Pioneer on Wednesday. He said that a team has been formed to investigate the case. “The around 30- year- old accused is a store keeper of the school, tasked with distributing books among the students. He has been working in the school for the past one and half year. The accused would be sent to jail after being produced in the court on Thursday,” he added.
As the news of the molestation involving the minor spread like wildfire in the locality on Tuesday, the angry locals along with the family members of the victim gathered at the school premises and ransacked the school. They demanded stringent action against the school management and the accused. They also blocked Nainital highway, bringing traffic to a standstill. Police were forced to divert the routes to ease the traffic pile-up. Meanwhile, the city magistrate sealed the school.
One of the protestors said that they would continue to stage stir until the accused was given exemplary punishment. “The same person molesting minors one after another must be handed out the deterrent punishment so that others similarly inclined do not dare to commit such crimes. Besides, action must be taken against the school management for employing such a criminal,” said the protestor.