Ahmedabad: A minor was allegedly raped by her teacher barely 11 days after she delivered a steering speech on “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” at her school in Sabarkantha, Gujarat.
The incident occurred on February 7, less than two weeks after her passionate Republic Day speech, where she emphasised the importance of protecting and educating girls.
Despite the trauma caused by the alleged sexual assault, Class X girl has shown incredible strength and started preparing for her Board exams, slated to begin on February 27, just three weeks after the incident.
The girl and her family lodged a complaint against the 33-year-old teacher, leading to his arrest.
“I have always dreamt of becoming a police officer. Science and maths are my favourite subjects. I’ll choose my academic stream based on my board results,” said the 15-year-old to TOI, whose parents are agricultural labourers.
According to Money Control, the teacher allegedly tricked her by inviting her to a hotel by pretending it was a birthday celebration. She later threatened to fail her in the upcoming exams.
However, after the incident, the girl has been staying with her father’s sister, who has two daughters also preparing for exams. Despite the trauma she has faced, she remains as dedicated to her studies as before. “We are incredibly proud of her courage and determination. We will support her every step of the way, regardless of the challenges that lie ahead,” her uncle told TOI.
The family lives together in a joint household, with most members working as agricultural labourers. “We don’t want our future generation to toil as farmhands. After all, we are not landowners. We realise the importance of education,” he added.
As reported in TOI, the school principal also praised the girl’s strength. “She has always been a bright student who never missed classes. It’s truly inspirational to see how she is facing these challenging times with such courage and resilience,” the principal said.
