A man allegedly entered the classroom of a civic body-run school in east Delhi and sexually assaulted two eight-year-old girls before undressing himself and urinating in front of the students, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) said on Wednesday.
It claimed that when the students informed the principal and class teacher about the incident, they were told to keep quiet and forget it. Police said no CCTV camera was installed at the entrance of the school and on the premises.
The Delhi Police said it has registered a case in connection with the sexual assault of the girls at the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) school in Bhajanpura but did not divulge details of the incident.
While the DCW has issued a notice to the police and EDMC in connection with the matter, East Delhi Mayor Shyam Sunder Aggarwal said, a "lapse" has happened and a probe has been ordered.
The civic body-run schools have students up to class 5.
In its notice, the DCW said on April 30, after the school assembly, students were waiting for their teacher inside the class when an unknown man entered the classroom.
He allegedly removed the clothes of a girl and muttered obscenities at her. Then he walked over to another girl and removed her clothes and his clothes as well. Thereafter, the accused closed the door of the classroom and urinated in front of the students, the DCW said in its notice.
This is a serious matter and warrants immediate action, it said.
According to police, cognizance was taken immediately and a case has been registered under the POCSO Act and an investigation has been taken up.
A special team has been formed to investigate the matter. Also, special wings of the force have been roped in to assist the police station team in the probe, a senior police officer said.
"It was an MCD school and no CCTV was found installed at the entrance or inside the school. However, a number of CCTVs have been examined in the vicinity to trail the suspect," he said.
"Based on the description given by the girls, a portrait of the suspect has been prepared and two people have been zeroed-in. The police team is working in close coordination with school officials," the police officer added.
The East Delhi Mayor conceded that a lapse has happened at the school. Otherwise, the gates of EDMC schools are latched from inside when classes take place and no unauthorised person can enter, Shyam Sunder Aggarwal said.
"We are getting the incident probed and strict action will be taken against those found guilty," he said.
According to the mayor, the incident occurred on Saturday morning and the EDMC has received the DCW notice in the matter.
Asked if a security guard was on duty when the man allegedly entered the premises of the school, Aggarwal said, "A guard is on night duty.
During the day, the school gates are latched from the inside and sanitation or other staff only let people in with due authorisation, he said.
The municipal corporation is cash-strapped. So, "it is difficult to post guards throughout the day", the mayor said.
DCW chief Swati Maliwal said, "It is totally unacceptable that such a grievous crime happened in broad daylight in the school and instead of reporting it, the authorities tried to hush up the matter.
"MCD must explain as to how was this allowed to happen? Delhi Police must immediately arrest the accused and initiate action under the POCSO Act against those responsible for trying to conceal the matter," she said.
The commission has sought from the police a copy of the FIR, details of the accused, whether the victims have been produced before a child welfare committee, and details of action taken against the class teacher and principal under the POCSO Act.
The panel has sought the information by May 6. It has also summoned the east MCD commissioner, asking him to appear before it within 48 hours.
The DCW has sought a detailed report on the incident from the civic body along with reasons for the security lapse and action taken against those responsible.
It has also asked the East Delhi civic body to provide CCTV footage of the school along with details of provisions in place for keeping a check on visitors.
In case the school does not have CCTV cameras, the East MCD Commissioner has been asked to inform the reasons for the same and whether any proposal for installation of CCTV cameras is pending before the civic body, the panel said.