Rape accused Noida school pool lifeguard can’t swim

  • | Tuesday | 17th July, 2018

When the principal was asked if Das knew swimming, she replied: “The pool is only knee-deep. The principal did not answer any of the questions,” claimed another parent.Asked later about Das, the principal said: “He had been employed as a pump operator at the swimming pool. Some students said no female attendant would accompany them for the swimming sessions. But my daughter has often told me she is picked up by a man whenever she falls inside the pool. I made a mistake,” he can be heard saying.A police team probing the rape has pointed out several flaws in security measures adopted by the school.

NOIDA: The 42-year-old “pool lifeguard”, accused of raping a nursery student of a prominent Greater Noida school , does not know swimming and had been hired merely as a pump operator.Some parents claimed that Chandi Das, who was arrested last week, would double as an attendant to students during horse-riding sessions and man the school’s pool during swimming classes. When the principal was asked if Das knew swimming, she replied: “The pool is only knee-deep. Moreover, we have a trained coach for swimming classes.”Police said several areas of the school were not covered by CCTV cameras, including the corridor between the changing room and the pool.Police confirmed Das did not have any certificate to prove his swimming abilities. “He did not have any certificate. But whether he knew swimming or not is a matter of investigation,” said Manoj Pant, SHO of Surajpur police station.A video being circulated on social media shows Das telling a group of mediapersons he “committed a mistake”. “Sir, I was in the pool. I made a mistake,” he can be heard saying.A police team probing the rape has pointed out several flaws in security measures adopted by the school. “There is no CCTV camera in the corridor between the changing room and swimming pool,” said Amit Srivastava, circle officer, Greater Noida 1.The district magistrate has formed a five-member team to inspect safety arrangements for students at the school and submit a report in two weeks.Parents and students, too, claimed the school did not adopt proper measures to ensure the students’ safety during swimming classes. Some students said no female attendant would accompany them for the swimming sessions. “This man (Chandi Das) would be present near the swimming pool and also during horse riding sessions,” a student said.A parent of a nursery student said children would be asked to change their costumes in the class itself.The principal, who had earlier said there was no concrete evidence to prove the allegation against Das, faced a barrage of questions on Monday from around 300 parents protesting the alleged rape on the school premises.“The principal had told us multiple times during orientation lectures that the school will not allow any male employee near the junior wing. But my daughter has often told me she is picked up by a man whenever she falls inside the pool. What Chandi Das was doing inside the pool is clear from this picture,” said a parent, holding a picture showing the accused near the pool.Later in the day, the principal addressed a gathering of parents, accompanied by a posse of policemen. “Why was a male member present near the pool? Why no CCTV cameras were at the spot?” asked a parent.“If we do not pay fees for a day, we are charged a penalty. Why are we sending our children to this school? The principal did not answer any of the questions,” claimed another parent.Asked later about Das, the principal said: “He had been employed as a pump operator at the swimming pool. We have a regular coach for training children.”

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