School van driver held for molesting LKG girl in Minjur

Police said that the incident took place at a private school in Pungambedu village near Minjur. The accused, identified as Pal Pandi (30) of Tirunelveli district went missing, and was traced to his hideout and arrested within hours of the girl’s parents lodging a complaint. 

According to police, the child, all of four years, returned home in tears on Tuesday. Noticing wounds all over her body, her parents asked her as to what happened. The child then told them that school van driver took her to a restroom in the school premises and assaulted her. 

Shocked by this, her parents lodged a complaint at the Minjur police station. Ponneri DSP Raja and inspector Rajkumar conducted an inquiry in the school. Subsequently, Pal Pandi was tracked and arrested. Following this, the accused was produced before the magistrate and was remanded in judicial custody on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Ponneri district educational officer Ilamparithi visited the school and conducted an inquiry, as the incident took place within the school premises. He later told media persons that the department would issue a notice to the school authorities seeking explanation regarding the incident. The kid has been admitted to a private hospital for treatment. In another incident, a 52-year-old man was arrested by Kannagi Nagar police under the POCSO Act for sexually abusing a seven-year-old girl. The accused S Lawrence was a house painter, said police.