Bharat Yagnik/TNN
Patan, Feb 5: In a shocking incident in this ancient capital of Gujarat, where people still take immense pride in their society and culture, all hell broke loose after a first-year student of the Primary Teacher’s Training College (PTC) accused six of her teachers of repeatedly gangraping her for six months.
The traumatised girl, who has been sent to the civil hospital for a medical examination, was in a violent condition and doctors said she starts screaming the moment someone touches her.
On Monday morning, 97 girls living in the PTC hostel on the college campus, accompanied by some parents, went on a rampage as soon as news of the rape spread. Of the six accused, they caught hold of three teachers and beat them up until the police took them away. The angry parents also destroyed vehicles and pelted stones at teachers. One of the accused, who almost got lynched, had to be hospitalised.
The incident may cascade into a much bigger controversy as many other girls from the college have now come out and alleged that they too were frequently molested by the teachers. The teachers also asked for sexual favours, students added. Students tolerated all this because the teachers were in control of “internal marks” which could make or break a student’s academic performance.
The incident has become so sensitive that by late afternoon local MLA and revenue minister Anandiben Patel and Maya Kodnani, minister of state for higher education, rushed to the college and were closetted with senior education department officials. The parents shouted slogans against the two ministers when they refused to give them a hearing. The parents have called for a bandh in Patan on Tuesday.
"The girl has said that she was gangraped at least 14 times during the past six months," said DSP Raghevendra Vats. "We have arrested all the six accused and we are further investigating the case," he said. The six accused are: Manish Parmar, Mahendra Prajapati, Ashwin Parmar, Suresh Patel, Atul Patel and Kiran Patel - the last two have PhD degrees. They have been booked for rape, molestation and intimidation.