School van driver arrested in UP for raping 12-year-old girl

Kanpur, Dec 25: The Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested a school van driver who allegedly raped a 12-year-old girl inside his vehicle on the way to the school in Kanpur.

Police have also booked the school principal, manager and two teachers for allegedly trying to conceal the rape incident by not informing the police about the incident which took place on Friday evening.

It is alleged that the school authorities had also asked the Class 6 girl not to share her ordeal with anyone.

According to police, the girl’s parents, who are speech and hearing impaired, informed the matter to the police later.

The parents, who work as labourers in a factory, alleged that the van driver picked up their daughter from home and at that time she was alone in the vehicle. “The driver stopped his vehicle at a secluded place and raped the girl. The man also threatened the victim with dire consequences after sexually assaulting her. Later, he picked up other students from their houses. After dropping all students, including the victim, at school, he parked the vehicle inside the school compound and escaped,” said a police officer.

On reaching school, the girl informed two teachers about the incident who later took her to the school principal and manager, the police said.

“They advised the girl not to inform anyone about the incident. After school, she was sent home in another van. The girl, however, informed her parents, who called up the school authorities. The school officials asked the parents to come the next day,” said an officer.

“We will conduct a forensic examination of the accused and the vehicle for evidence,” said Kanpur Additional DCP Akash Patel, adding that the medical examination of the girl has been done.

The police have registered a POCSO case in addition to slapping charges under Sections 376 (rape), 202 (intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).