Driver of school van held for sexually assaulting two six-year-old students in Pune

Police arrest school van driver for sexually assaulting two six-year-old girls in Pune, Maharashtra, sparking outrage and protests.

Police have arrested the driver of a school van for allegedly sexually assaulting two six-year-old school girls in Pune city of Maharashtra, an official said on Thursday (October 3, 2024).

“The incident took place on September 30 on board the van when the school girls were returning home after attending the school in the Wanwadi area of the city,” he said.

Both of the girls were allegedly molested by the accused when they were returning home from the school. “One of the girl students later narrated the incident to her mother, who then informed the school authorities," the official from the Wanwadi police station said.

A police complaint was then lodged and the accused driver, identified as Sanjay Reddy, was booked and arrested under sections 64 (punishment for rape) and 65 (2) (punishment for rape on woman under twelve years of age) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

In August, a sweeper allegedly sexually assaulted two four-year-old girls in a school at Badlapur in Thane district, sparking massive protests. The accused, Akshay Shinde, was later arrested. He was killed in an alleged shoot-out with police on September 23.