A horrifying case of child sexual assault has come to light in Indiranagar, Lucknow, where a four-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her school van driver, Mohammad Arif. The child, who had been visibly distressed after returning home from school, later revealed the abuse to her mother.
ANI reported, “Uttar Pradesh | A 4-year-old girl was digital raped allegedly by her school van driver in Lucknow. As per the FIR registered at Indiranagar PS, the school van driver has been identified as Mohd Arif and the incident occurred on 14th July. The FIR also states that the driver threatened the child’s family with death if they approached Police. Mohd Arif and school manager Sandeep Kumar have been named as accused in the FIR; sections of BNS, POCSO and The SC and the ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act invoked.”
The Lucknow Raped case Incident
The incident took place on the morning of July 14. According to police, the accused sexually assaulted the girl inside the school van while taking her to school. That afternoon, the child returned home crying and complaining of pain in her private parts. Her mother immediately took her to a doctor, where the injury was medically confirmed.
The little girl is traumatized and unable to fully articulate the incident. She used gestures and broken words to reveal that “driver uncle had done mischief” with her in the van. Based on her account, the family filed a complaint at the Indiranagar Police Station. At the time of the incident, the girl was alone in the van.
Threatened with Disappearance
When the mother confronted the accused, he threatened her and also warned her that he would “make the girl disappear” if the incident was reported. Despite the threats, the family stood strong and filed an official complaint.
On Thursday, the mother lodged a complaint at the Indiranagar Police Station against the van driver under charges of rape, POCSO Act, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and criminal intimidation. The school manager was also named in the complaint for issuing threats to the family.
Police arrested the accused driver, Mohammad Arif, within hours. He has been charged under multiple sections including:
- Rape (IPC)
- Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act
- SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act
- Criminal Intimidation
Lucknow School Manager Tried to Suppress Case
Adding to the horror, the child’s mother claimed that school manager Sandeep Kumar made efforts to suppress the case. When informed, the manager reportedly discouraged them from going to the police and did not take any action against the driver.
ACP Ghazipur Anidya Vikram Singh, who is leading the investigation, confirmed that the school manager’s role is being probed, and legal action will follow if found guilty of negligence or complicity.
Government Order Ignored: No CCTV in Van
The van involved in the crime did not have CCTV cameras, despite a January 2024 government mandate requiring all school vehicles to be equipped with surveillance. The three-month deadline for installation passed without compliance.
Further investigation is going in the case.
