India: Bangalore School Chairman Arrested for Negligence in Connection with Rape of 6-Year-Old

The police have arrested the chairman of a well-known chain of schools in the south Indian city of Bangalore for negligence over the handling of a six-year-old student's rape within the school premises.

Rustom Kerawala, chairman of Vibgyor group of schools, was taken into custody by the Bangalore police on Tuesday, 24 July, following mounting pressure from parents.

Ever since the allegation broke out about a member of the staff - a skating teacher - raping a six-year old girl, protests have been constantly swelling in the city.

Kerawala, who earlier apologised for the incident, was not in Bangalore at the time of his arrest and was brought to the city later.

"Prima facie there has been a failure to report the case and the failure to protect the child, so we have gone ahead with the arrest," senior police official MN Reddi told reporters.

The school chief has been detained under Section 201 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with destruction of evidence and under Section 23 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Four other members of the school staff have also been arrested.

Kerawala's was the second arrest in this case after Mustafa, who is the main accused, was detained by the police authorities on Sunday, 20 July.

The victim's parents allege that the sexual assault had taken place in early July but the formal complaint was launched only two weeks after the incident.