After Badlapur Case, Naigaon School Canteen Boy Arrested For Molesting 7-Year-Old Girl

In a recent disturbing incident, the Vasai police have arrested a 16-year-old boy employed in the canteen of a school in Naigaon on charges of molesting a seven-year-old girl, according to Hindustan Times (HT). The boy, whose identity has been withheld due to his age, was presented before the Juvenile Justice Board and subsequently remanded to a children's home.

This incident came to light shortly after the school conducted an awareness session on good touch and bad touch. The session was organised in response to ongoing protests against the sexual assault of two four-year-old girls at a school in Badlapur, which had brought the issue of child safety to the forefront.

According to police sources, the seven-year-old victim, who is a student in Class 2, confided in her grandfather on Thursday about the canteen boy's inappropriate behaviour. The girl had been prompted to speak out following the educative session on 'good touch and bad touch' conducted by her teachers.

The girl's parents immediately brought the matter to the attention of her class teacher and the school management, who acted swiftly to identify the boy and notify the authorities. Following this, a formal complaint was lodged by the school, leading to the arrest of the accused.

"We have taken the accused into custody and have charged him under section 8 (punishment for sexual assault) and section 12 (punishment for sexual harassment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012," a police officer stated in HT.

The police are now investigating whether the boy has been involved in similar incidents with other students. CCTV footage from the school premises will be thoroughly examined to gather additional evidence. The school canteen, where the accused had been working for the past two months, is operated by an external agency on a contractual basis.

This case has raised significant concerns among parents and educators about the safety of children within school environments, particularly in light of recent events. The police and school authorities are urging parents to engage in open discussions with their children about personal safety to help prevent such incidents in the future.