Ayantika Pal
“My only aim now is to become an achiever in life, something people know me for,” a 15-year-old girl told TOI on Saturday as she returned to school after three traumatic weeks. During this period, she was sexually assaulted by a neighbour, closeted herself in at home as the family feared social shame, and saw her name being struck off the school rolls.
The scrapping of her enrolment came with a rebuke from her government school principal who – unaware of the girl’s reason for absence – told her father on Thursday to get her married if he wasn’t interested in sending her to class.It was mistimed scorn, which the principal realised on Friday when she was informed about the sexual assault. But word had spread by then. The principal drew heavy criticism on social media as the sexual assault on the girl, the removal of her name from school and her comments to her father conflated into one narrative.
Education department officials stepped in on Friday after they learnt about the police case that the teen’s parents had filed after the June 26 sexual assault. School had reopened on July 1 after the summer vacations, but she hadn’t shown up. Three other girls hadn’t either. It was seen as unexplained absence, and on July 10, the principal decided to scratch their names from the rolls. According to officials, in all cases of absence from school, a student must write a note to the class teacher or principal with specific reasons for absence. The girl’s father told TOI on Saturday she had not stepped out of home since the June 26 incident because of shock. He also spoke of being worried for her safety because the assailant – a married man – lives in the same colony.
The accused, who had allegedly met her at Swarn Jayanti park several times, is now in judicial custody, police said, after being charged with rape and criminal intimidation under sections of BNS and provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. He had on June 16 invited her to meet him at a hotel, where he took her to a room and allegedly raped her. “She left for tuition, which generally gets over by 2pm,” the father said. Usually, she is back by 3.30pm but that day, wasn’t home till 6pm. “She looked pale when she returned and did not talk. Next day, I asked her about it and that’s when she told me about the incident,” he said. The episode derailed the family. The girl isolated herself as she tried to cope. The parents wept and worried. Amid this despair, the school de-rostered her. On Friday night, however, the principal was at their door, her manner and demeanor nothing like the voice on the phone that had chided the father. The principal told TOI on Saturday she re-enrolled the girl after the district inspector of schools informed her about the sexual assault case and decided to go speak to the girl herself to convince her to continue with her education. “The girls whose names were withdrawn did not inform the school about their absence.
We have come across several instances of girls dropping out because their families got them married. I thought she wasn’t coming to school for the same reason,” she said of her July 11 call to the teenager’s father. It (the de-rostering) was meant as a warning. At that time, I didn’t know what had happened. Once I knew, I personally met the family. We spoke for around three hours,” she added. The girl’s father confirmed the principal had met them, underlined the need for her to return to school and extended her support. “Education is important. We realise that,” he said. On Saturday, the teenager took a step back towards restoring normalcy to her life and returned to school. But the most familiar of places seemed altered. “It was strange. Everyone was looking at me. It seemed like many things had changed. But my friends came and spoke to me. With time, I guess things will be normal,” she said. Her school bag is packed for Monday.
The scrapping of her enrolment came with a rebuke from her government school principal who – unaware of the girl’s reason for absence – told her father on Thursday to get her married if he wasn’t interested in sending her to class.It was mistimed scorn, which the principal realised on Friday when she was informed about the sexual assault. But word had spread by then. The principal drew heavy criticism on social media as the sexual assault on the girl, the removal of her name from school and her comments to her father conflated into one narrative.
Education department officials stepped in on Friday after they learnt about the police case that the teen’s parents had filed after the June 26 sexual assault. School had reopened on July 1 after the summer vacations, but she hadn’t shown up. Three other girls hadn’t either. It was seen as unexplained absence, and on July 10, the principal decided to scratch their names from the rolls. According to officials, in all cases of absence from school, a student must write a note to the class teacher or principal with specific reasons for absence. The girl’s father told TOI on Saturday she had not stepped out of home since the June 26 incident because of shock. He also spoke of being worried for her safety because the assailant – a married man – lives in the same colony.
The accused, who had allegedly met her at Swarn Jayanti park several times, is now in judicial custody, police said, after being charged with rape and criminal intimidation under sections of BNS and provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. He had on June 16 invited her to meet him at a hotel, where he took her to a room and allegedly raped her. “She left for tuition, which generally gets over by 2pm,” the father said. Usually, she is back by 3.30pm but that day, wasn’t home till 6pm. “She looked pale when she returned and did not talk. Next day, I asked her about it and that’s when she told me about the incident,” he said. The episode derailed the family. The girl isolated herself as she tried to cope. The parents wept and worried. Amid this despair, the school de-rostered her. On Friday night, however, the principal was at their door, her manner and demeanor nothing like the voice on the phone that had chided the father. The principal told TOI on Saturday she re-enrolled the girl after the district inspector of schools informed her about the sexual assault case and decided to go speak to the girl herself to convince her to continue with her education. “The girls whose names were withdrawn did not inform the school about their absence.
We have come across several instances of girls dropping out because their families got them married. I thought she wasn’t coming to school for the same reason,” she said of her July 11 call to the teenager’s father. It (the de-rostering) was meant as a warning. At that time, I didn’t know what had happened. Once I knew, I personally met the family. We spoke for around three hours,” she added. The girl’s father confirmed the principal had met them, underlined the need for her to return to school and extended her support. “Education is important. We realise that,” he said. On Saturday, the teenager took a step back towards restoring normalcy to her life and returned to school. But the most familiar of places seemed altered. “It was strange. Everyone was looking at me. It seemed like many things had changed. But my friends came and spoke to me. With time, I guess things will be normal,” she said. Her school bag is packed for Monday.