A disturbing case of sexual assault against an underage student has come to light from a residential school situated in Durgapur, located under the Ranga police station jurisdiction in Jharkhand's Sahibganj district. An eighth-grade student living in the school hostel was subjected to repeated abuse inside the educational premises by the on-duty night guard. The harrowing exploitation was uncovered only after the minor girl's health deteriorated and medical examinations established that she had become pregnant.
Threats Kept Victim Silent Until Medical Checkup
According to the girl's relatives, the accused night guard, Sahebram Lohra, assaulted the student seven to eight times on the campus. The guard threatened the girl with death if she dared to tell anyone about the ordeal, causing immense fear that prevented her from confiding in her parents. Her silence was broken only when her physical health suddenly worsened. Her family took her to a doctor for treatment, where medical tests revealed she was pregnant, immediately exposing the prolonged assault.
School Administration Attempted Cover-Up
Upon discovering the crime, the victim's family approached the school authorities, but faced hostility. The family alleged that the school's director, Jafar Sheikh, attempted to suppress the matter entirely rather than reporting it to authorities. Sheikh reportedly pressured the girl's family to remain quiet and issued threats to dissuade them from pursuing official legal channels.
Arrests Under POCSO Act and Judicial Custody
Refusing to submit to the director's coercion, the family formally lodged an official complaint at the Ranga police station on September 29. Acting swiftly on the complaint, a police team led by Ranga police station in-charge Akhilesh Kumar Yadav arrested both the security guard Sahebram Lohra and the school director Jafar Sheikh. Both accused have been sent to jail under judicial custody, with police registering charges under the POCSO Act and other relevant statutory sections as comprehensive investigation proceeds.
