In a startling occurrence, a group of students in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, allegedly sexually assaulted 12 other students and gang-raped one after tricking them into believing they were in a National Cadet Corps camp. Eleven people have been detained in relation to the case, including the camp organiser, the principal of the school, and two teachers.
The police claim that the school organised a camp without even registering a unit of cadets, which was egregious carelessness on their part without doing a background check. Earlier this month, 41 kids attended the three-day program, 17 of whom were girls.
The task of overseeing the camp was not given to any of the teachers. The girls said they were hauled out of school and then sexually assaulted. The authorities are also looking into whether the organisation that planned the extra camps has previously organised any camps.
The district child welfare committee has taken the initiative in this case by examining the victims of sexual abuse medically.
The incident occurred at the same time as the 31-year-old trainee physician at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital was sexually assaulted and killed, sparking national indignation.
International organisations have called for real steps to protect Indian women and children from violence as a result of the growing number of rape cases, which have prompted concerns about their safety and security.