Young Minors Confronted with Sexual Assault: A Tragic Incident in Moradabad
Bareilly: A 12-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly gang-raped by five schoolboys in the office of a public school principal in Moradabad, according to police statements. The incident, which occurred on May 8, was captured on video and shared online. The victim’s mother reported the case after being shown the video by a neighbor on Monday night.
Accused and the Circumstances of the Crime
The five accused, all Dalit youths aged between 12 and 15, were the girl’s neighbors and attended the same school under the Civil Line police station jurisdiction. The girl, who attended a different school, initially did not report the assault. Her mother became aware of the incident after a neighbor showed her the video on Monday night.
According to the girl’s mother, the victim had been acting unusually depressed for some time. After repeated inquiries, the girl finally revealed the truth when confronted with the video. The mother described the sequence of events as follows: around 4 p.m. on May 8, the five boys approached the girl while she was playing outside her home, luring her to a nearby junior high school under the pretense of buying her something. One of the boys had obtained the school key from his father, who was the school’s watchman.
Once inside the school, the boys locked the main gate and took the girl to the principal’s office. There, they gave her a soft drink laced with drugs. When she became unconscious, they raped her and recorded the act on a mobile phone. The boys then threatened to share the video online and to kill her parents if she spoke about the assault.
Legal Proceedings and Victim Support
Despite the threats, the video was later circulated on social media platforms. A neighbor who saw the clip on her phone informed the girl’s mother. SSP Satpal Antil stated that a case has been registered and all five accused were arrested. The accused underwent medical examination and were found to be minors, aged between 12 and 15 years. They are students from Class 7 to 9 at a city school.
The accused will be presented before the Juvenile Justice Board on Wednesday. The survivor is receiving psychological consultation to help her cope with the trauma of the incident. The police indicated that they will soon file a chargesheet in the case.
The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault.
Reactions and Concerns
The incident has sparked concern over the vulnerability of minors and the need for stricter measures to prevent such crimes. The police have emphasized the importance of safeguarding the rights of children and ensuring that such incidents are not repeated. The case highlights the urgent need for awareness and preventive measures in schools and communities.