Class 1 girl student allegedly raped by School Sweeper

Mumbai, Oct 15: In a cruel incident, A 47-year-old sweeper has been arrested for allegedly molesting a six-year-old girl student inside a boys' toilet in an English medium school at Kalyan on Tuesday.

Before the child's parents approached the police, the school conducted an internal inquiry and sacked the accused as well as the woman staffer posted at the girls' toilet for not being present at the spot when the crime was committed.

The Class I student had entered the boy's toilet next to the one for girls by mistake to wash her hands when the accused, who was cleaning the cubicles, allegedly molested her. She had entered the toilet to wash her hands after the lunch break.

The arrested accused has been identified as Pradeep Mahajan, who is a resident of Kalyan's Khadegolivali area.

Khadakpada police said Mahajan warned the child against telling anyone of the incident. on next day, she gathered courage and informed her mother of what had happened. Her parents immediately approached the school principal and demanded action against Mahajan.

Later that evening, the family approached Khadakpada police who arrested Mahajan late at night from his residence.

He has been booked under Indian Penal Code Section 354 for molestation and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act's Section 12 for sexual harassment.