Ghaziabad: Minor Rape Survivor's Name 'Cut' From School, Decision Revoked Later

"He took me to a hotel in Noida five times and raped me," survivor stated in the FIR filed by the family.

(Trigger Warning: Contains description of sexual assault)

"As a father, it pained so much listening to my daughter tell me over phone that she was manipulated and then raped, I couldn't stop crying," Irfan* told The Quint, choking as he spoke.

Irfan*'s 15-year-old daughter, Sara* has gone through a harrowing experience of sexual assault in the past year. Naturally, as a result of what she went through, she was unable to attend school for some days.

In July this year, the school authorities told her family that he name was being withdrawn from the school due to her absence.

The Principal spoke to my elder daughter. She asked her why Sara* wasn't attending school. They knew about her case. She told my elder daughter to inform us that Sara*'s name has been removed and that we should get her married now.

Irfan*, survivor's father to The Quint

However, soon after an FIR was filed and the police started their work in the case, the school administration went back on their decision.

But why did the school rescind their decision? And what happened with Sara*?

Here's What Happened

Narrating the sequence of the events, Irfan* stated that the main accused in the case, Suhail, is a 21-year-old who lives not far from their home.

Irfan*'s daughters were given digital Tablets by the school which had WhatsApp for updates and notices from the school.

Sara* also used Instagram Application. Irfan* said this is where Suhail who is a married man himself, began pursuing her.

The Quint has also accessed the FIR copy which stated that Suhail took her to a local park on the pretext of giving tuitions. He told Sara* to meet him at a hotel in the area as he wanted to have a 'serious conversation'.

Irfan* stated that even though Sara* is a child, she had an idea that "nothing good ever happens in these hotel rooms" on the basis of what she had heard from friends.

But, Suhail persisted and forced to her come.

The FIR reads as follows:

He took me to a hotel in Noida Sector 63 five times and raped me each time. I told him not to and resisted but 'usne mujhe kahi ka nahi chodha hain. (he has left me good for nothing)'. Under false promise of marriage, in the last year, he has raped me multiple times and he blackmailed me with photos and videos that he made of me. He said he will make them go viral.

Sara*'s statement in the FIR

Irfan* was at work when Sara* called him and told him all that had happened with her.

Choking up, he recalled, "I was crying and she was crying, because how do you talk to your daughter about something like this? But I told her not to worry and that she can share everything with me."

The case wase filed in Indirapuram police station on 7 July. The police has now arrested Suhail and sent him to jail.

The FIR includes IPC charges of 506 (3) (Punishment for rape and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) along with charges under the POCSO Act of 'aggravated penetrative sexual assault.'

School Removes Survivor, Rescinds Decision on Police Intervention

Due to her situation, Sara* had not attended school since 26 June — The day she told about her case to her father. The school reopened on 1 July.

"I am a poor man, where would I go with my daughter? I don't have money to send her to a private school. It seems like they did it because we are Muslim so it was easier for them to just do so," noted Irfan*.

Then he met with the Investigating Officer in the case, Inspector Kuldeep Kumar and told him about the school's decision.

Kumar called the school's Principal and gave her an earful as to how they could just remove her name from the school and advise the family to get her married.

Police told the Principal to meet the family and to come to a resolution.

The Principal first denied it, but then she apologised. Last night, she came to visit us and told us that they have not removed her name and that Sara* can continue her schooling like before. She was remorseful and she said that it was all just a warning. But it wasn't, they explicitly said that she was expelled before.

Irfan*, survivor's father to The Quint

The Principal also confirmed to The Quint and said, "she has been re-admitted and has been attending the school since Saturday now."

Earlier the district inspector of schools in Ghaziabad Dharmendra Sharma had stated, "We will also speak to the school and look into it. We want to make sure her education isn't impacted."

(*Survivor and her father's name have been changed and the school's name has been withheld to protect her identity. The Quint has also reached out to the police, their response will be added once received).