Bangalore school rape case: Police arrest skating instructor

Bangalore: A skating instructor at a public school in Bangalore was arrested on Sunday in connection with the alleged rape of a six-year-old student even as protests continued for the fourth day against the incident.

It is the first arrest in the incident which occurred on 2 July and came to light on 14 July after a police complaint was lodged. “Mustafa, a skating instructor, has been arrested,” Bangalore police commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar told PTI.

Police had been facing mounting public anger over delay in making any arrest in the incident, which had triggered protests in the city.

As the intense public anger persisted over alleged inaction by police, the civil society activists and parents of students studying at the city-based Vibgyor School where the incident happened, staged protests at Freedom Park in Bangalore.

The protests have taken a political turn also with BJP Minority Morcha on Sunday staging demonstration demanding that police immediately arrest the guilty and punish the school management for not taking prompt action.

Facing the heat, Auradkar earlier in the day addressed the protesters, assuring them action against the guilty and school management for alleged “inaction”. “We have solved blind cases in the recent past and will crack the Vibgyor School rape case as well,” Auradkar said.

The opposition parties also have attacked the government over a string of rape incidents and demanded resignation of Home Minister K.J. George.

The child rape incident and the alleged rape of a 22-year -old woman in a car in Bangalore on 10 July and that of a 15-year-old nun in a seminary has led to an outpouring of public anger.