A six-year-old nursery student had been allegedly sexually assaulted by her teacher within the school premises, and after the matter came to light on Tuesday guardians started agitating in front of the school. Police had to open a lathi charge to bring situation under control.

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The incident happened at Binodini Girls High School located at Dhakuri area in south Kolkata. On September 26, when the BJP had called a bandh in Bengal.

The victim girl had allegedly been taken by the accused teacher Deepak Karmakar to an empty class where he molested her. “After school my daughter told me that sir had taken her to Room number 10, made her sit on his lap and touched her all over her body,” the victim’s mother said who was herself suffering from dengue and had been hospitalised. She was discharged on Sunday and Monday being a holiday she came over to school on Tuesday to talk to authorities.

“The headmistress called the teacher concerned and asked him about it. He has naturally denied. The headmistress assured me that my daughter would be shifted to another section of which she was the class teacher,” she added. She also said that her child fell sick after the incident and was still under a lot of trauma.

The victim’s father said that the girl was taken to a doctor and there too, signs of sexual assault were found. Karmakar had also allegedly threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the incident.

After the mother of the victim left the headmistress’ office, other guardians who had come to know of the incident put up an agitation in front of the school demanding that the teacher concerned should be handed over to them.

Officials of Lake PS reached the spot and an altercation broke out among the police and guardians. Few policemen were manhandled and they had to open a lathi charge to bring the irate mob under control. Angry protestors damaged the motorbike of the teacher as well. RAF was also required to be pressed in.

It was found out that several agitating guardians and police persons were injured. Police said that three protestors had been arrested.

On the basis of a written complaint by the victim’s family, the teacher has been arrested and a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012 has been initiated. Guardians said they did not have faith on the administration.

“Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had asked us to send our children to school on bandh day assuring all security. Now will she take responsibility?” said one of the guardians.

Senior police officials said that all necessary steps have been taken. “It is a cognizable offence. The allegation is serious. We have started a case. On the basis of the complaint the accused has been arrested,” said deputy commissioner (south east division) of Kolkata Police Kalyan Mukherjee. Asked about the lathi charge on guardians, he said, “There are times when we have to take such steps to contain the situation.”

West Bengal Protection of Child Rights chairperson Ananya Chatterjee too reached the spot. She said that the CCTV footages are being looked into to investigate the matter.

School authorities said that the accused teacher has been suspended till the investigation was complete and that there would not be any male teachers till Class V.