A four-year-old nursery student in Badlapur, Maharashtra, was allegedly molested by her school bus driver, sparking outrage across the community.
The incident occurred when the driver, responsible for dropping students home, left the child alone after dropping other children. The family noticed the girl was late returning home on Thursday, January 22, and initially she did not reveal what happened. After gentle questioning, she disclosed the driver’s misconduct.
The family first reported the matter to the school before filing a formal complaint with police the same evening. Authorities acted promptly, arresting the driver and seizing the school bus. A medical examination was arranged for the child, and the driver has been booked under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Investigations revealed that the school bus was operating with a private, non-yellow license plate, in violation of Regional Transport Office regulations that require yellow plates and T-permits for school transport vehicles. This lapse has raised serious concerns about regulatory oversight and the safety of unregulated vehicles transporting children.
Community members expressed anger at the news, with some even vandalizing the bus in protest.
