Two minor girls sexually assaulted in school van, accused arrested

The accused will be presented in Court for police custody on October 4. Image for representation.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

In another sexual assault case after Badlapur, two minor girls were allegedly assaulted in a school van in Maharashtra’s Pune district, following which Wanvadi Police arrested the accused driver of the school van on Thursday (October 3, 2024).

The police booked the accused, identified as Sanjay Jetting Reddy (45), under sections 64, 65(2) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and sections 4 and 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The incident occurred on Monday (September 30, 2024) in pick and drop school van of a private school operated by Sanjay. The parents of survivors filed a complaint at the Wanvadi police station on October 2.

According to police, the accused approached survivors, finding them alone in the van. He parked the van in a secluded place, started touching their private parts, and later dropped them home, as per the narration of the girls to their parents.

Speaking to The Hindu, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 5) R Raja said, “We are probing the case from all sides, we are in touch with the school on the matter, the possibility of multiple incidents, presence of female attendant, and more.”

DCP R Raja stated that detailed statements of survivors and their families will be taken in the presence of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). The accused will be presented in Court for police custody on October 4.

Deputy Chairperson of Maharashtra Legislative Council Neelam Gorhe issued directions to the Transport Commissioner for strict implementation of safety measures. She mentioned conducting police background checks on drivers and attendants, ensuring each vehicle has a female attend, to avoid overloading vehicles, maintaining speed limits, and medical checks on drivers.

The incident has attracted major public outrage in Pune, while Nationalist Congress Party (NCP- SP) city president Prashant Jagtap has demanded capital punishment for the accused. “Police have taken action, but even after the Badlapur cases, such offences are repeating, which means the accused think they can escape easily. I have given a letter to the joint commissioner demanding to charge death capital sections in the FIR,” Mr. Jagtap said.