Parents allege molestation, ransack school

BHOPAL: Parents went on a rampage in a girls school in Indore on Friday, beating up members of its governing body and ransacking the premises to protest against inaction against a school bus driver and conductor who were allegedly molesting their wards.
Angry parents, who entered the premises of Vaishnav Bal Mandir in the morning, beat up the members of the board of trustees of the school, broke flower pots and pulled out nameplates.As the situation boiled over, the police had to be called in and resorted to lathicharge to bring the crowds under control.
Police said the parents complained that bus driver Ashok and the conductor were molesting their daughters in the bus as well as in empty classes. They alleged that a woman, who worked in the school canteen, would lure unsuspecting girls into empty classrooms where the duo would molest them.
The police said the parents defended their actions, saying that they were forced to take matters into their hands as the school authorities did not take any action despite complaints by their children.
Pavan Agarwal, a parent, said, "The driver made elder girls sit in the front of the bus where he could see them in the rear view mirror. He then leered at them and made indecent gestures. The conductor and driver would also fondle the children when they got on or off the bus, in the pretext of helping them."
"Some students had gone to school principal Nanda Vyas to complain against the driver-conductor duo on Wednesday, but she tried to hush up the matter," claimed another parent, who added that she asked the students not to inform the parents about the two and assured them that she would take action.
The children, however, reported the matter to their parents. Agarwal said parents, who reached the school to meet the principal, got angry when they saw that the driver was still holding on to his job.
Police have arrested Manish, the supervisor of school buses, while the driver and conductor are absconding. "We will investigate the case and take action against the culprits. We will meet parents of the students to ascertain the facts,"said ACP Dharmendra Chaudhary.
State minister for women and child welfare, Kusum Mehdele, backed the protesters. "After Nithari, parents are obviously concerned about their children. Whenever such crimes against children are reported they need to be dealt with strongly," Mehdele said.
Chaudhary said the parents should also have reported the matter to the police. The school principal was not available for comments.