Darshan Vihar Patna Central School in Patna City on Friday issued a statement in which they named the student who had alleged rape by school administrator Pawan Kumar and called her "mischievous" by nature.
Backed by the Bihar Public School and Children Welfare Association, school officials said Pawan had warned the girl and some other students of tough action if they did not mend their ways. This led the girl to level false allegations against Pawan, the school said in the statement.
School director Nandlal Singh, who is Pawan's father, said: "You can very well understand what mischief means when girls tend to do it. I don't have to explain that. On November 3, Pawan had called some students, including this girl, as they were always into some or other kind of mischief. They were called to his office and warned of serious consequences, including rustication, if they didn't stop. The students were warned their parents would be informed. Pawan said this in the presence of some staff members and the students were made to sign a petition where they promised to mend their ways. About half-an-hour after school, Pawan, in the presence of his wife, who holds a post in the school, and some other staff members called the girl's parents and informed them about the whole incident. After this, Pawan went to the school hostel building to have dinner. Suddenly, they heard a commotion and protesters surrounded the school. Before anyone could understand a thing, the police came and arrested Pawan."
Asked why only the girl's parents were called, Bihar Public School and Children Welfare Association chairman D.K. Singh said Pawan had apprehended trouble. "This girl was very mischievous and was close to a boy in school. Pawan thought she might create problems and hence her parents were called and told about everything. The petition signed by these students is lying in Pawan's office. "And how can he be accused of rape when the medical report is still awaited? This is a ploy to taint the name of the school," Singh said, while apologising for having named the girl in the typed press release. The police said they were yet to receive the girl's medical report.
Suicide probe on
The bypass area of Patna City was calm on Friday after three days of protests while Khajekalan police were busy investigating the suicide by a girl in the same area to check if it has any link to the alleged rape.
"A 15-year-old girl jumped to her death from her house rooftop in Begumpur area on Thursday evening. Her parents lodged a complaint against a commerce teacher at a private coaching centre where she studied, accusing him of harassing her. In the complaint, the family said he was constantly insulting her in class for which she had gone into depression," a police officer at Khajekalan police station said.
He further said: "On Thursday, this girl had participated in the protests over the alleged rape. She even approached the police on the spot to say she had a similar complaint. But the police could not listen to her in the melee and violence. One cannot rule out a link between the two incidents. The background of the girl is being checked and investigations are on. The girl's medical report is awaited."
