In a heart-wrenching incident in Lucknow’s Indiranagar, Uttar Pradesh, a school van driver named Mohammad Arif has been accused of raping a four-year-old girl inside the van. This horrific crime has shaken the community and raised serious questions about the safety of children in schools. Arif not only committed this heinous act but also threatened the child and her mother, warning that he would make the girl “disappear” if they reported the incident. The school management, particularly manager Sandeep Kumar, has also come under scrutiny for allegedly ignoring the complaint and failing to take action.
Mother’s Courage Leads to Arrest
The victim’s mother, a resident of Kotwali Dehat in Hardoi, lives in Indiranagar with her four-year-old daughter. She had enrolled her daughter in a reputed school in Indiranagar, where Sandeep Kumar arranged for a school van driven by Mohammad Arif to transport the child. On July 14, when the girl returned home from school, she was visibly scared and distressed. When her mother inquired, the child tearfully revealed that Arif had done “something bad” to her in the van while taking her to school that morning. The traumatized girl described the incident in gestures, leaving her mother devastated.
The mother immediately took her daughter to a doctor, who confirmed injuries to the child’s private parts. The girl disclosed that she was alone in the van during the assault, and Arif had beaten and threatened her to keep quiet. Despite her fear, the child eventually confided in her mother. When the mother confronted Arif, he became aggressive and threatened to make her daughter disappear and harm her family if she spoke about the incident. The mother also approached the school manager, Sandeep Kumar, but he allegedly tried to suppress the matter and took no action.
Undeterred, the courageous mother filed a case at the Indiranagar police station on Thursday against Mohammad Arif and Sandeep Kumar. The charges include rape, violations under the POCSO Act, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and criminal intimidation.
Police Action and Ongoing Investigation
The police acted swiftly, arresting Mohammad Arif on Friday afternoon and sending him to jail. The investigation has been assigned to SP Ghazipur, A. Vikram Singh. According to a report by Amar Ujala, the police suspect that Arif may have committed similar crimes against other girls in the past. They plan to question other female students who used the same school van to investigate this possibility. The van involved in the incident has not yet been recovered, but Arif has provided some crucial information during interrogation, which the police are using to locate it.
Society in Shock, Demands for Justice
Arif’s cruel and inhumane act has left society reeling. The assault has not only caused physical and emotional trauma to the young victim but also instilled fear in her family through threats. The police have warned that anyone attempting to destroy or conceal evidence will face strict action.
The incident has also exposed the negligence of the school management. Parents and the public are outraged at Sandeep Kumar’s silence and failure to act on such a serious complaint. Questions are being raised about why the school ignored the issue, highlighting broader concerns about accountability and child safety in schools.
Call for Harsh Punishment
The city is united in demanding the harshest possible punishment for Arif. People are standing in solidarity with the victim and her family, calling for swift justice. The public is demanding that perpetrators like Arif face severe consequences to deter such heinous crimes in the future. This incident has sparked a broader conversation about ensuring the safety of children and holding schools accountable for their responsibilities.