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Updated December 18th, 2019 at 10:52 IST

Punjab: Candlelight march held demanding action against school where minor girl was raped

On December 13, an eight-year-old girl was raped allegedly by a 15-year-old boy inside a private school in Beas near Amritsar in Punjab, the police said.

Reported by: Digital Desk
Punjab
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A candlelight march was organised in Amritsar on Tuesday, December 17, demanding action against the school in Beas where an eight-year-old girl student was allegedly raped by a Class 10 student last week. Many people, including children and women, took part in the march. The demonstrators were seen carrying placards which read - Justice is a must - Action against the school administration -- Enough is enough. No More and -- "Girls are not objects, Stop rape terrorism". The demonstrators were heard shouting slogans - "School prashashan murdabad" and "We want justice." 

"What happened with the girl (victim) was wrong. If girls will not be safe in schools, where else will they be? That is why we are carrying out this candle march," a demonstrator said. Another demonstrator accused the police of negligence and alleged that no action was taken against the school administration.

As per reports, the parents of the victim were informed by the school that she was crying. It emerged that she was allegedly raped by a class 10 student of the same school.

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The incident

On December 13, an eight-year-old girl was raped allegedly by a 15-year-old boy inside a private school in Beas near Amritsar, the police said. The accused, a Class X student, has been arrested and produced before a juvenile court in Amritsar which has sent him to a correction home, Deputy Superintendent of Police Harkrishan Singh said.

Enraged over the incident, a number of parents staged a protest outside the school squatting close to the Amritsar-Delhi National Highway and demanding strict action against school authorities for failing to ensure the safety of children. Police said the father of the girl had dropped her at school in the morning and later in the day he got a phone call from school authorities that the child was crying.

READ | Families Of Amritsar Train Tragedy Organise A Candlelit March In The City

The father was later told that a boy had misbehaved with the girl following which he took her home. However, after reaching home, the girl complained of severe pain and narrated the incident to her mother. The police were subsequently approached and an FIR under section 376 IPC (punishment for rape) and under the provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences was registered against the accused.

Many protesting parents claimed that after committing the crime, the accused took away the DVR (recording unit of CCTV camera) installed inside school premises. They also alleged that the incident happened due to negligence of the school management and demanded a case be registered against them. "Investigations are underway," the DSP said.

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READ | 8-year-old Raped By Class X Boy In Amritsar School

(With input from agencies)

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Published December 18th, 2019 at 09:11 IST

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