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The headmistress of a private school in Thane district, Maharashtra, has been apprehended by the police for allegedly neglecting to report the molestation of a 10-year-old girl by an unidentified individual within the school premises.
The disturbing incident unfolded on Tuesday morning at the school situated in the Mumbra area. According to police reports, the fifth-grade victim was alone in her classroom when the assailant, clad in shorts and a blue T-shirt, entered the room. He proceeded to sexually assault the girl and subjected her to indecent exposure.
Frightened by the ordeal, the young girl raised an alarm, prompting the perpetrator to flee the scene. Upon hearing the commotion, the headmistress arrived and inquired about the incident. The victim disclosed the details of the harrowing experience.
However, as per the First Information Report (FIR), the headmistress was subsequently observed engaging in a conversation with the alleged culprit. The man reportedly claimed to have been dropping the girl off at school.
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Later, the girl informed her parents about the incident, leading them to lodge a complaint with the police against both the unidentified assailant and the school headmistress.
Based on the complaint, the police arrested the headmistress for failing to report the incident to the authorities. A case has been registered against the unknown perpetrator under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The police are actively pursuing the unidentified individual and have initiated a search operation to apprehend the culprit.
(With inputs from PTI)
