Udupi: Sexual assault case - School management assures steps to improve security
Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SM)
Updated
Udupi, Sep 23: The agitating parents of children studying in Madhavakripa School held a meeting with the management on Monday September 23 following the shocking sexual assault by school bus employees on an LKG student studying in the school last week.
The parents, who said that negligence of the management and staff was to blame for the incident, prepared a 12-point questionnaire for the management prior to the meeting and demanded answer for each question. They also demanded clarification over the security lapse in the school premises.
Madhavakripa School was earlier managed by Manipal Academy and later was handed over to the Pearson Group. The parents said that were not satisfied with the explanations given by the CEO Srikanth and Umashankar Vishwanath on the issue.
"We are not happy with the management of Pearson Group and are also dissatisfied with principal Jessy Andrews," they said.
Thereafter, G K Prabhu, registrar of Manipal University and president of the school management who arrived at the school managed to calm down the parents.
He assured the parents that immediate measures will be taken regarding security measures and a parent-teacher association will be formed within a month. "The PTA meeting will be held every month on the third Thursday in future. Annual general body meeting will be held every year," he said.
Further he assured that before appointing any staff, police verification will be made a must. CCTV cameras will be installed at various points in the campus soon, he said.
"As far as this case is concerned, complete support will be given to the parents and we will cooperate fully with the police in taking immediate action against the culprits," he assured.
He stressed that safety would be the priority of the management. "Pearson Group should be more responsible. Henceforth a lady attender will be compulsorily appointed for each bus to accompany the kids and ensure their safety," he said.
Meanwhile, there was minor chaos when members of Campus Front of India tried to stage a protest in front of the school without obtaining prior permission from the police. The situation was soon brought under control.
Earlier Update
Udupi: Sexual assault on child - Parents rise in protest at Manipal school
Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SM)
Udupi, Sep 23: A day after the news broke out about the alleged sexual assault of a four-year-old nursery school student by three bus employees, scores of parents gathered at Madhavakripa School at Manipal here and demanded explanation from the school management.
The parents began a protest at the school premises asking management to respond to the issue. They alleged that the principal as well as the management had failed to respond even when the parents of the victim had approached them.
"When MLA Pramod Madhwaraj tried to contact the school over the issue, even then there was no reponse. We parents want the management to take some action and show interest in dealing with the case," one of the parents said.
"The school should hold a parent-teacher meeting. Even though its a big school there is a never a meeting with parents and whenever we have requested for it, we have been told that such meetings create noise. We pay fees to educate our children, hence, this should not be the attitude. There should be a proper system," they said.
Pramod Madhwaraj arrived at the school and said, "There is a complaint that the principal and the management are not taking responsibility for the incident. If it continues, we will inform the deputy commissioner to summon the principal and the management and take appropriate action," he said.
Meanwhile, the accused Shubhakumar and Sudheer were produced in the district and sessions court and remanded in judicial custody till October 5. They will be lodged in Hiriadka jail.
A girl aged 3 years and 10 months was allegedly sexually assaulted by three bus employees on September 16. The incident came to light two days later and complaint was lodged on Friday September 21. The police on Sunday September 22 arrested Shubhakumar and Sudheer, while the third accused is absconding.