Auto driver molests UKG student

Auto driver molests UKG student
July 24th, 2010
DC Correspondent
Hyderabad, July 23: Police on Friday arrested a 22-year-old autorickshaw driver for molesting a five-year-old schoolgirl giving another jolt to parents shocked by the revelations about the Parkwood International School director sexually abusing girl students.
Police said the driver, M. Anwar, of Khadri Chaman, used to fondle the private parts of the UKG student while dropping her home from school. The girl, who stays in Bibi Ka Chasma, is the daughter of a salesman in a cloth store located in Falaknuma and studies in a private school.
Her parents on July 9 hired an autorickshaw to take her to school and back. In the last two days, the girl refused to go to school in the autorickshaw and complained of severe pain in her private parts.
On Thursday her father took her to a private clinic where the doctor noticed rashes on her private parts and informed him about it.
“When he asked the girl about it she said that the Anwar used to fondle her,” said the Falaknuma police inspector, Mr S. Mohan Reddy. “As her residence was the last stop Anwar took advantage and abused her.”
Police arrested the driver and registered a case of rape against him. Investigation is on.
“The police should take an initiative to monitor the conduct of the autorickshaw drivers,” said Mr B. Srinivas, resident of Malkajgiri. “Proper training should be given to the drivers and every six months they should go to police and get a clearance certificate.”
Mr Srinivas added that parents should also verify the antecedents of autorickshaw drivers before hiring them. “The school management should maintain data of the auto drivers,” he said.
A senior police officer said that more than 68,500 autorickshaws plying on the road and there was no monitoring of drivers. “The autorickshaw owners keep changing the drivers from time to time and more than half of the drivers do not have licenses,” he said.
He added that the driver should carry a board with his photo, licence, address and a phone number so that the passengers can make a note of it if needed.
“Many schools don’t have transport facility and parents are forced to arrange private vehicles for their children,” said Mohammad Mastan, a private employee from Saidabad. “Stern action should be taken by the police against the accused in such cases.”
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Autorickshaw Drivers Samakhya general secretary, Mr A Sathi Reddy, condemned the “heinous” crime and said stringent action will be taken against any kind of offenders as the union guidelines specify that service to humanity is service to God.