Chennai, Jan 20 (BPNS)
Principal of Ekalavya Model Residential School (EMRS), Chengalpattu, Kumaragurubaran (51), and school hostel warden, Shenbagavalli (37) were arrested and remanded to judicial custody after they were charged for concealing the rape and pregnancy of a 16-year-old tribal student of the school. The girl consumed rat poison and died on Tuesday night at Tiruvannamalai General hospital after battling for life for 12 days.
The girl who was at her home during lockdown had returned to school and on December 22, 2021, she fainted in school. She was taken to the nearby hospital by the hostel warden Shembagavalli who was informed by the doctors that the 16-year-old was pregnant.
Police said that the school principal summoned the parents of the girl and without informing them of her pregnancy, sent the child back to their home. On January 7th,2022, the girl consumed rat poison and was admitted to hospital at Tiruvannamalai. Doctors after examining her informed the parents that she was six months pregnant.
The girl during her conscious state while at the hospital told doctors that she was repeatedly raped by one Hariprasad who was a driver at Kallakurichi and a neigbhour. Police took him into custody and he accepted the crime.
Police arrested Hariprasad, Ekalavya Model Residential School (EMRS) principal Kumaragurubaran and school hostel warden Shembagavalli under Pocso Act.
While Hariprasad was booked under IPS sections 6( punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Pocsco Act,2012, Section 306 (Abetment of suicide ) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and various sections of the SC and ST Act, 1989 and arrested him.
The school headmaster Kumaragurubaran and Hostel warden Shembagavalli were booked under section 21(1) (punishment for failure to report a case) of Pocso Act, 306 of IPC, and various sections of SC/ ST Act and arrested on Tuesday.
They were produced before the court on Wednesday and remanded to judicial custody.
