A 30-year-old private school bus driver has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl inside his vehicle, police said on Friday, September 4. The incident, reported from the Kamothe area, has once again put the spotlight on child safety in school transport across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
The accused worked as a driver for a private bus that ferried children from a local kindergarten and primary school. According to police, the incident occurred around 12:30 pm on Wednesday, September 2, while the driver was dropping students home after school.
Once all the other children had been dropped off at their respective stops, the three-year-old girl remained alone in the bus with the driver. Police allege that he took advantage of the situation and sexually assaulted her before finally dropping her home.
The child reportedly complained of abdominal pain soon after reaching home. When her grandmother asked what was wrong, the girl allegedly said that the "driver uncle" had troubled her on the bus.
The grandmother immediately informed the school management, and the family went on to file a police complaint. A medical examination of the child reportedly confirmed the sexual assault, following which police formally registered a case.
Police booked the accused under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to the rape of a child below 12 years of age, along with relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
He was arrested and produced before a court in Panvel on Thursday, September 3. The court remanded him to police custody until Saturday, September 5. Police said statements from school management staff would also be recorded as the investigation continues.
In a separate case reported from Mumbai, a karate instructor linked to SNDT Women's College has been booked for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor student. The accused, identified as Mahesh Navale, was taken into custody by Kurla Police on the night of September 2 after a complaint was filed against him.
Navale reportedly runs karate classes in the Matunga, Chunabhatti, and Sion areas and has also trained students at SNDT Women's College.
These back-to-back incidents have reignited concern among parents over the safety of children in school transport and extracurricular activity settings. Authorities have urged schools and transport contractors to strengthen background checks and monitoring for staff who work directly with young children.