TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Four primary school students were locked in their school toilet at Agassaim, Friday morning, by five masked boys, putting a serious question mark on improved security in schools in the aftermath of the horrific rape of a seven-year-old in a Vasco school toilet this January.
The incident occurred in the government primary school during the school recess at about 11.15am. This incident once again questions the security of students within the school compound.
Inspector Shivram Vaigankar said the students, all aged nine years and classmates in Class IV were pushed in the toilet and locked from outside by the unidentified persons.
“Two among the five boys locked the girls in the toilet. When the victims began banging the door loudly, one of the accused opened the latch and all fled away from the spot,” he informed.
The victims rushed to the headmaster and some other teachers and narrated the entire incident following which a police complaint was filed. Police have registered an offence under Sections 143 for unlawful assembly, 447 for criminal trespass and 342 for wrongful confinement of the Indian Penal Code against five miscreants.
The motive behind the minute-long crime is being ascertained even as prima facie police have not found any reason. “The mischievous act could possibly be to harass the students,” the officer said.
The girls, in their statement to the police have described their physical appearance. “They were masked but we have managed to get their physical description. Their age is around 14-15 years,” Vaigankar said.
The school toilet is situated on the rear side of its compound. The premise is neither guarded by any security personnel nor does it have proper protective walls or gates.
The incident brings to mind the incident in a Vasco school wherein a girl was allegedly raped in the school toilet during recess by an unknown person who later managed to flee and is still not identified.
After a failed investigation by the Crime Branch, the government recommended handing over the case to CBI this July. The agency is yet to start an investigation pending notification from the Ministry of Personnel.
In the aftermath of the case, the government mandated installation of security measures in all schools including installing of CCTVs and construction of compound walls.
