“You can see the CCTV camera footage where the child is seen for the entire duration that she was in school. Each corridor and part of the school is covered by 25 CCTV cameras,” said the principal of the school in Indiranagar, showing the footage they had also shown to the police and officials of the Education Department.
However, they admitted to one flaw in what has been their major defence against allegations of sexual assault on one of its nursery students by a staff member. The one area that is not covered by the cameras is the entrance, which, incidentally, is where the accused Goutham was posted most of the time, having access to the side gate through which all the children entered and exited the school. Ironically, a long stretch along with the periphery of the compound wall near the same spot remains out of CCTV coverage area, so do some other blind spots.
“The child got out of the classroom at 11.58 a.m. and the father picked her up at 12.02 p.m. The teacher takes the children out till the gate,” the principal said.
But the school management was vehement in their defence of the 30-year-old native of West Bengal, who was detained early on Tuesday morning based on the complaint filed by the victim’s parents and the identification by the victim.
“He has been working with us for eight years. In fact, he lives on the school premises with his family. His wife works as a helper in the same school, while his daughter is also studying in class three here,” they said.
Management representatives said Goutham will be dismissed from service if found guilty by the law.
About the schoolThe private school in Indiranagar has 31 students studying in nursery. This apart, there are 580 students in higher classes. The overall strength of teaching and non-teaching staff is 35, of which six are male — three teachers, the secretary of the school and two drivers, and Goutham, who is the watchman.