Report finds major lapses in running of pvt Delhi school

New Delhi: The SDM report has found “major lapses” in the functioning of a private school in Gandhi Nagar area, where a 5-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a peon recently. 

According to the Delhi government, the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), in its report, said that “unhindered access” was given to the accused in all parts of the school.

After the September 9 incident, the Delhi government had ordered a magisterial probe into the alleged rape of the girl in the premises of a civic body recognised school.

The report, which was submitted to revenue minister Kailash Gahlot, has been forwarded to deputy chief minister and education minister Manish Sisodia for further course of action.

“The accused was working for the school, though a formal appointment letter does not appear to have been issued by the school. The movement of the accused and other such non-teaching employees was required to be restricted so that they do not have any contact with the students,” the government said in a statement, quoting the probe report.

It also stated that the nursery classroom, where the incident allegedly took place, should have been locked after the class, adding that the unlocked pitch-dark classroom facilitated the accused in his nefarious intentions. “Non-coverage of the whole school building under CCTV cameras reduced the deterrence effect. 

The accused had been working in the school for almost two and a half years without undergoing any kind of verification and background check by the school authorities/ police,” the statement said.

Last week, the case was transferred to the Crime Branch of Delhi police after health minister Satyendar Jain requested lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal for the same. The accused has already been arrested.

According to the government, the magisterial probe report said that the EDMC has not taken any action against the school for undertaking classes in “unrecognised areas” of the building. 

“The last safety audit conducted by the EDMC school inspector was in December last year. However, the safety audit report does not have any parameters with regard to the police verification of employees, installation of CCTV cameras, entry/exit restrictions for unauthorised people, etc.,” it stated.