Two minor boys assault classmate at home tutor's residence in Bengal

Kolkata, Nov 1 (IANS) Two minor boys allegedly sexually assaulted their classmate, also a minor, at the residence of a home tutor in Suri of West Bengal's Birbhum district, police said on Saturday.

According to the police, the incident occurred on Friday evening when a ninth-grade student left home before 7 p.m. after receiving a phone call from a classmate. On reaching the tutor’s house, she found only two classmates present and the teacher absent.

Police said that the two boys had allegedly called the girl to the tutor’s residence about an hour earlier than the scheduled class and then assaulted her inside the room used for lessons.

“After returning home at night, the 14-year-old girl broke down and informed her parents about the incident,” a senior officer of Birbhum district police said. “Based on the complaint, both students were apprehended and later produced before the Suri Juvenile Justice Board in the afternoon,” the officer added.

A case has been registered at Suri police station under Sections 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Initial investigation revealed that the accused boys had misled the girl by telling her that the tutor had asked her to come early for class at 7 p.m. However, the tutor himself was not at home at that time. The teacher had set aside a room in his residence for conducting tuition classes. The two accused allegedly took advantage of his absence and committed the act.

The complaint filed by the girl’s mother stated that her daughter, a ninth-grade student, regularly attended tuition classes near her home along with other children. The tutor usually conducted sessions for ninth-grade students from 8 p.m., but her daughter had left home earlier on Friday, believing that the teacher had called her for an advance class.

Police said that the girl’s medical examination has been completed and that her confidential statement under Section 164 of the CrPC will be recorded before a judicial magistrate on Monday.

Officials added that the investigation is ongoing and further legal action will be taken based on the findings of the medical and forensic reports.

--IANS

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