First arrest made in Bangalore rape case

A skating instructor at a public school in Bangalore was arrested today in connection with the alleged rape of a six-year-old student even as protests continued for the fourth day against the incident. It is the first arrest in the incident which occurred on July 2 and came to light on July 14 after a police complaint was lodged.

In Pix: Enough is enough, say protesting Bangaloreans to school, police

"Mustafa, a skating instructor, has been arrested," Bangalore Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar told PTI. Police had been facing mounting public anger over delay in making any arrest in the horrific incident, which had triggered protests in the city. As the intense public anger persisted over alleged inaction by police, civil society activists and parents of students studying at the city-based Vibgyor School where the incident happened, staged protests at Freedom Park here. The protests have taken a political turn also with BJP Minority Morcha today staging demonstration demanding that police immediately arrest the guilty and punish the school management for not taking prompt action.

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Facing the heat, Auradkar earlier in the day addressed the protesters, assuring them that action will be taken against the guilty and school management for alleged "inaction". "We have solved blind cases in the recent past and will crack the Vibgyor School rape case as well," Auradkar said. The opposition parties also have attacked the government over a string of rape incidents and demanded resignation of Home Minister K J George. The child rape incident and the alleged rape of a 22-year -old woman in a car here on July 10 and that of a 15-year-old nun in a seminary has led to an outpouring of public anger.

Even as parents and civil activists continued protests, many are posting their petitions online on the rape incidents. Airing her views on an online portal, change.org, Pavithra Shetty, mother of a 3-year-old girl, asked Education Minister Kimmane Ratnakar to issue a directive to all schools to impose security measures for the safety of children. Dipshika Sahni, another online petitioner, said since the children spend several hours in the school every day, it is schools' responsibility to impose security measures for the safety of children. "If we trust them with our children, they should ensure they have the conditions to keep them safe," she said. Maithreyi Nadapana petitioned Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to immediately announce a road map and a timeline for making the city a safer place to live in.