Nagpur: For five years, a minor silently endured harassment until a ‘Police Didi, Police Kaka’ awareness programme at her school gave her the courage to speak up, bringing the ordeal to an end.
The disclosure led to the arrest of the 50-year-old neighbour, who allegedly began stalking the girl when she was around 10 during the Covid pandemic. The girl, now 15, subsequently approached her headmaster and disclosed that she had allegedly been facing harassment since the Covid pandemic.
He allegedly made obscene gestures, passed vulgar remarks and threatened her, according to police. The girl had initially viewed the accused, a familiar face from her neighbourhood, as an elderly “uncle”. Police said fear and the social stigma associated with speaking about sexual harassment may have contributed to her remaining silent for years.
After the pandemic, he allegedly stalked her on her way to school and tuition classes. The turning point came when police personnel conducted the ‘Police Didi, Police Kaka’ programme at her school. The initiative aims to educate children about sexual predators and encourage them to speak up about ‘good touch, bad touch’ and sexual harassment. The headmaster alerted the police, following which her grandmother lodged a complaint and the accused was arrested.