Mangaluru, March 16: Parents of the three year old LKG child who was sexually assaulted in Thokkotu on Friday March 13th allegedly by the driver of Omni van belonging to her school, have demanded justice for the child.
The child is a LKG student of Mangalore One School in Thokkotu, was sexually assaulted on Friday March 13th, allegedly by Madhukar Shetty (35), the driver of the school van.
A press meet was organized by Samyukta Muslim Jamath, DK district at Central Muslim Committee hall in Bunder here on Sunday Marach 15th.
Addressing the press meet, former mayor Ashraf – president of the Jamath body, damned the non cooperation of the school and alleged that the school had denied to cooperate with the parents and warned them not to bring police into the issue as it would spoil the reputation of the school. When the parents insisted that case has to be filed against the driver, the management warned them that they would file complaint against the parents for creating chaos in the school, he said. We strongly condemn this as the school has failed to support the parents when there was a need, he added.
He also claimed that the school van in which the sexual assault allegedly took place was tinted, and that the school driver was drunk at the time of the incident.
Ashraf said further, the van was fully tinted and on the day of incident, the van driver was in drunken state while dropping students to their homes, he said.
He also accused the state government on the lack of response regarding the issue. The Chief Minister was in the district on Saturday March 14th, but neither he nor the district in-charge minister has spoken on it, he said and demanded the district administration to speak out on this issue.
Ashraf further said, that medical report by Lady Goschen hospital has confirmed the sexual assault, but the cops are not disclosing it. We urge for justice to the child. Else, severe protest will be organized, warned Ashraf.
Mom of child, Zareena burst out in tears as she addressed the press meet. She said usually, my child reaches home by 1 pm as she has only half day school, but that day she came late and appeared dull. By 3.30 pm, my daughter wanted to go to the toilet and I noticed wounds on her thigh and she was bleeding. When I asked the child, she explained me what the driver had done to her in her own language. She also said, the driver stopped the van by the roadside and did something to her.
Zareena alleged that when she went to the school along with her husband to speak on the issue, the management refused to speak on the matter. She alleged that, the driver of the school van was drunk when he was asked to come to the school that evening.
She further said that the school has made no efforts to contact her. “The school officials said that when they went to Lady Goschen hospital they were not allowed inside, but this is not true as everyone was allowed. I did not receive any calls from the school management, and whatever information I have been getting is through some teachers and staff.
Zareena said, I want justice for my daughter and I do not want such thing to happen to any other child.
Child’s father – Mohammed Rafiq, Aziz Madoor- president of Madoor Jumma Masjid, Advocates Muzzaffar Ahmed and Hanif Ucchil, Hameed Kudroli-vice-president of Akhila Bharat Beary Parishad, were present among others.
