In startling revelations in the sexual assault case involving over a dozen minor girls of Himalaya Public School, Pithoragarh police said they have discovered that accused director of the school Chandra Singh Karki had installed CCTV cameras in all the rooms of the girls hostel and would monitor them constantly.
However, in his defence, he has claimed that he had installed the CCTV cameras for security reasons.
“He was arrested by the anti-trafficking unit of Pithoragarh police for allegedly molesting girl students at his co-educational Himalayan Public School in Chaukori village in Pithoragarh district,” Bimmy Sachdeva, SSP Nainital had said on Wednesday.
70-year old Chandra Singh Karki, who is the director of Himlayan Public School, had installed CCTV cameras in the classrooms as well as all the rooms of the girls hostel. He would monitor the CCTV cameras sitting in Nainital.
The police have begun the process of recording the kids’ statements in front of a magistrate. On Thursday, officers of Uttarakhand police’s anti human trafficking wing met the children and were shocked to hear their statement.
The girls, aged between six and ten, revealed that Chandra Singh Karki would come to their dormitory at odd hours and take them to his office on the pretext of checking their homework. “Karki would then ask the little girls to massage his body and stimulate his private parts. He would often force them to undress and sleep with him and have oral sex,” said DL Verma, in charge of the Haldwani unit of the anti human trafficking wing.
Many of the girls confirmed having been sexually assaulted by Karki several times in the past. “In fact, one of them was being exploited by Karki for the past five years. The girl is psychologically disturbed because of it,” Verma said.
Verma was heading the team which questioned the girls first. Their deposition was also videographed to be produced as strong evidence before the court.
“Such statements are recorded under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code and have evidentiary value in the court of law,” said Uttarakhand DGP BS Siddhu. He added that the Pithoragarh district police have already moved a lower court for the same. “We hope to get all the girls’ statements recorded in front of a magistrate within a couple of days.”
Verma added that Karki’s daughter and son, who hold the position of principal and manager in the school meant for economically weaker children, were aware about their father’s act.
“Some girls have told us that Karki used to threaten them by saying that he would inform the school principal and manager if they did not cooperate,” he said.
