Maneka Gandhi Urges Kolkata Police to Take Action in Sexual Assault of 2-Year-Old Boy

New Delhi, Jul 12: Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi today urged Kolkata Police to immediately arrest the people responsible for allegedly sexually assaulting a 2-year-old boy at a playschool in the city.

The boy was allegedly sexually abused at the playschool in southern Kolkata last week. Police have said they are scanning the footage retrieved from CCTV cameras at the playschool.

Following a complaint by the boy's parents, a case has been registered against unidentified people under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Gandhi expressed her displeasure at the slow pace of police investigation in the case.

"I have spoken to Kolkata Police about the case and expressed my displeasure that they have not been able to arrest the accused when a playschool has the very limited number of employees. I have requested them to ensure that immediate action is taken to arrest the accused," she said.

A WCD official said only 7-8 people work at the playschool. "The organisation has eight schools and playschools in the city. I hope they have put in place necessary protection systems in all their schools," Gandhi said.

"It is shocking to know that the incident of sexual assault on the 2-year-old boy happened at Morning Blossom's playschool, which is run by the well-known Mount Litera group of institutions," she said.

The minister had directed the National Commission For Protection of Child Rights to initiate action in the case and said her ministry has moved a Cabinet proposal to provide the death penalty to the convicts of such heinous crimes under the POCSO Act.