4-year-old raped during parent-teacher meet in Punjab school, helper-cum-conductor detained

Chandigarh: A four-year-old girl was raped allegedly by a private school’s helper-cum-conductor in Dhuri town in Punjab’s Sangrur district, triggering protests by residents against the school management and the local administration.

The incident took place on Saturday when the 27-year-old accused lured the girl when her mother had come to the school to attend a parent-teacher meeting, police said Monday.

As the news spread, protests erupted in Dhuri and residents gathered outside the local police station, demanding that the accused be arrested and handed over to them for punishment. Sangrur SSP, Sandeep Kumar Garg said that the accused was arrested on Sunday.

Asked about the protests, he said, “They had a few demands. They wanted the accused to be arrested and we told them that he has been arrested. Their second demand was that action should be taken against the school management and they were told the administration will look into this. As far as their demand that accused be handed over to them was concerned, we told them that he has been arrested and is being dealt as per the law”.

Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal said law and order has broken down in the state. “Shocked over reported rape of a four year old girl in Sangrur district. There is no such thing as law and order in Punjab with murders, rapes and daylight snatching becoming a daily occurrence. CM must take responsibility or is he too busy quelling party revolt?” Badal tweeted.