Another student molested, school's lab assistant held

Kolkata: A day after the molestation of a Class 2 student at Carmel Primary School, a Class 9 student of another reputed school Kamala Girls School alleged that she was molested by the non-teaching staff.

The accused, Moloy Kumar Baruah, was arrested by the police on Saturday under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act following a complaint at the Rabindra Sarobar police station on Friday. Posted as a group D staff, he also doubled as the laboratory assistant in the chemistry department of the school on Lake Road in Ballygunge.

On February 7, the teenaged girl was busy along with her three classmates in the chemistry laboratory on the first floor of the school building. She, however, suffered injuries while doing the practical class, sources revealed.

Moloy gave her the first aid. Later, he molested her, according to preliminary investigations.

The victim alleged, “I asked him: ‘uncle what are you doing?’ He threatened me that if I confide it to anyone, I would face the consequences. I was so panicked that I could not say anything. Later, the incident was told to everybody. Our head teacher called me and my two friends in her chamber.”

The victim added, “The uncle was present there. He stood up from his chair and told me in a low voice while leaving: ‘So you opened your mouth!’ Initially I was in panic as I wrote in the school what he had done to me. Later, I broke down and narrated the ordeal to my mother.”

One of the victim’s classmates who was in the laboratory also said she rushed to her after hearing her screams, but before the victim could tell anything, Moloy threatened her.

The victim’s mother accused the school authorities of trying to cover up the incident. She claimed, “The head teacher did not want to speak about it to me. I was told to remain silent. My husband asked her to leave the incident to be dealt by the administration.” She added, “What happened to my daughter can happen to any other girl. That is why I want punishment to the accused.”

Head teacher Shikha Sarkar said, “We are a family here in the school. I hope we will be able to resolve the probelm.”

In the afternoon, Moloy, a resident of Ranikuthi in Tollygunge, was produced at the court which has remanded him in three days’ police custody.

Meanwhile, a meeting was held between Carmel Primary School authorities and the students’ guardians on the security measures, including the installation of CCTVs.

Dance teacher Soumen Rana, the accused arrested for molestation of class II student, was remanded in the police custody by the court.