A special correspondent from the Telegraph, reported another hideous rape in the country. This time, the rapist is very righteous about his act too.
On 3oth November, Ranchi allegedly witnessed a heart-breaking incident. Francis Xavier (65), principal of a private English medium school in Tilaiya, Koderma was arrested on Friday morning for raping a child. The 6-year-old girl's father lodged a complaint with the police.
Initially, Xavier refused to admit the crime. He kept stressing on the point that he is too old to rape anyone. But later when he was pressurized and threatened, he accepted that he committed this mistake, but still justified for the same. He told the cops that he raped as he was under extreme stress and sleep-deprived for many days.
The child (name not disclosed) was taken to the school washroom and when she protested during the act, the principal apparently offered her a chocolate to keep mum. The child confided in her grandmother after going back home and the parents were informed immediately by her. The girl's father took immediate action and filed a complaint. The child's medical test report hasn't arrived yet according to the police.
Telegraph also added that Xavier was making sexual overtures for days, taken her to the toilet during school hours and molested her. He is accused of taking off his own clothes in front of her as well. As soon as the principal raped the child, the news spreads to the relatives and other parents in a couple of days and they created a ruckus in school.
Apparently, Xavier joined the school, which is till standard VIII, as a principal only a month ago. The school has a maximum of 300 students. Police have refused to divulge the name of the school to conceal the identity of the child.
Koderma SP Shivani Tewari said the accused had been booked under Sections 4, 8 and 12 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Sections 376 and 323 of the Indian Penal Code. "He was caught soon after the case was brought to our notice. The law will take its own course," she said.
The principal told the NDTV reporters that he has not committed "any big crime". He said he committed the crime due to tension and termed it as "accidental".
How to protect your child from rape/molestation
1) Talk to them as friends- Your child needs to have the habit of sharing their daily routine, not out of fear. Be a loving friend and make sure the child shares all details as at a tender age they wouldn't understand the difference between right and wrongdoings.
2) Awareness- Be aware of your child's surroundings, school, peers etc. You may want to believe that your child is safe, but it is always better to make the child aware of right and wrong touches as well. You will not be able to be everywhere in person, but if the child is well aware, can try and protect him/herself against wrongdoings.
3) Trust- You need to trust your child, it cannot be his/her fault always. If the child is complaining about something grave, it needs to be given immediate attention. Every time a parent doesn't give attention to their child's serious complaints, they tend to become reserved and not share.
Also Read: Children's Day horror: 18-month-old raped by father's friend in Delhi
