PONDA: The Mardol Police claim to have launched a manhunt to nab the physical education (PE) teacher 53-year-old Vishwas Prabudesai, accused of molesting a 14-year-old school girl in a school at Marcaim, who has been reported absconding, since Monday. But the question is why was he allowed to simply escape?
The villagers fear that the police may hush up the incident as the school is managed by influential persons having political connections.
The locals accused the police of going slow in investigating the shocking incident and demanded that the probe be expedited and the culprit be nabbed.
Marcaim resident Premanand Gaude said, “When the group of villagers went to Mardol Police Station on Monday, the men in khaki took six hours to register an FIR despite the victim being present at the police station with her written complaint besides complaints by her parents. There should not be any delay in arresting the culprit, as the victim was compelled to undergo trauma, which later forced both the siblings to quit school midway. Both of them are now likely to lose their academic year.”
Gaude demanded a thorough inquiry and proper counselling and both the victim and her sister need to join their school, said the Marcaim Locals.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Mardol Police have recorded the statements of school staff, and teacher, to whom, the girl first reported her ordeal.
According to sources, Prabhudessai is residing at Shiroda and has been teaching in the school since its inception 25 years ago.
It may be recalled that the shocking incident occurred when the victim was answering her final examination in her classroom in March this year. The unfortunate incident took place when she was seated on the last bench as the advances made by the teacher went unnoticed.
Her trauma got worse as the school authorities instead of initiating prompt action against the teacher following her complaint, forced her and her sister to leave the school, much to the chagrin of the villagers.
Instead of the school management placing the accused teacher under suspension and the police not booking him for the offence, the hapless siblings were compelled to leave the school last month fearing further harassment from the accused.
Terrified by the incident, the victim approached a lady teacher and narrated the ordeal. However, months passed and no action was initiated against the accused. Fearing further harassment, on July 23, the victim approached the school headmaster with a complaint against the accused teacher.
This time too, the headmaster and the school management failed to take action against the accused and refused to file a police complaint.
Following the inaction, the victim and her sister decided to quit school.
However, on Monday, mustering courage, the victim with the help of villagers marched to the Mardol Police Station and filed a police complaint against the teacher.