After girl's rape, Goa schools told to keep out strangers

A day after a seven-year-old girl was raped in a school toilet, the Goa government Tuesday told all schools to beef up security near their premises.

Speaking to reporters here, Women and Child Development Minister Dilip Parulekar said a circular to the effect had been issued to all schools in the state.

"We have asked all school managements to review the security measures for their premises. All security guards have been asked to keep an eye for strangers in the campus. We will not allow anyone to loiter in school premises without reason henceforth," Parulekar said.

The Goa Police crime branch has already been directed to probe the rape of the girl in school premises in the port town of Vasco, around 40 km from here.

While the rapist is still at large, police have arrested the school's headmistress for inordinately delaying the registration of a first information report in the incident.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar along with top administration and police officials had to rush to the school Monday night after irate residents and friends of the victim's parents laid siege to the school not allowing the staff to step out.

The girl was found in a state of shock in the school toilet, after being raped by an unidentified person who had slipped into the school. The accused is at large, said police.
Incidentally, the education ministry, headed by the chief minister, has ordered the school shut for two days in view of the public ire.