Teen Gang-Rape Survivor Denied Entry at New School Because ‘She Will Spoil the Atmosphere’
By Carl Samson
A 16-year-old schoolgirl allegedly gang-raped by four seniors is having trouble finding a new school.
The rape reportedly occurred at a boarding school in Dehradun, India on Aug. 14.
The girl, who was pregnant, is unable to find a new school in the city, with one pointing out that she will only “spoil the atmosphere” on campus.
The girl’s parents have since lodged a complaint with local police.
“We are looking into the complaint. We will send a team to the school concerned to take its version on Monday as it closed for puja holidays,” Police Senior Superintendent Nivedita Kukreti told NDTV. “Meanwhile, we are also exploring the legal course of action to be taken in a case like this.”
If proven guilty, the school will face appropriate repercussions, Kukreti added.
Yogendra Khanduri, former chairman of Uttarakhand Commission for Protection of Child Rights, found the school’s alleged maltreatment “unfortunate.”
“How can they deny admission to the child? If the girl has merit, there is no reason why they should refuse to take her in. They should give her admission even on humanitarian ground as she is a rape survivor who has suffered trauma,” Khanduri told PTI.
The girl’s former school concealed the rape incident until it came to light on Sept. 17. Her four rapists, as well as five members of the school administration — including its director and principal — were arrested for destruction of evidence.
“The victim returned to hostel and informed the incident to the hostel caretaker. Rather taking any action against the four boys, she rather told her to remain silent on the issue and then informed the accused administrative officer (AO),” a source told the Hindustan Times.
According to reports, school staff attempted to terminate the girl’s pregnancy by making her consume medicated drinks.
It’s unclear what will happen to her rapists — all aged 17 — who allegedly plotted the crime after watching porn on their mobile phones.
“The boys had personal Android phones that they used regularly in the school, even though the school norms didn’t allow them to use mobile phones on regular basis (except Sundays that too for two hours),” Kukreti told the Indian Express last month. “They used to watch porn clips on the mobile phones, and that became a major factor in the gangrape since the boys got instigated by watching porn.”
For now, the girl’s parents plan to enroll her in a school outside Dehradun.
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