A 70-year-old madrasa teacher has been arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district for allegedly sexually assaulting an 11-year-old student, after a video of the assault came to light and was shared with the child’s family. The accused, identified as Maulana Iqbal, was arrested late on Sunday night and sent to jail. A case has been registered against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and other relevant sections.
The incident took place in the Shahpur police station area, approximately 25 kilometres from the district headquarters.
How the Crime Came to Light
Maulana Iqbal had been teaching at Islamia Madrasa for 40 years. The victim, an 11-year-old boy from the same area, had been studying at the madrasa for the past five years. According to police, the accused would detain the child after class under the pretext of assigning work or cleaning, take him to a separate room and sexually assault him. He allegedly threatened the child that speaking about the matter would have serious consequences, which kept the boy silent.
The case came to light when someone recorded a video of the assault on Eid night, March 21, and it subsequently became public. When the video reached the child’s family, they were deeply shocked. On questioning the boy, he narrated the full extent of the abuse he had been subjected to. His father immediately took him to the police station, filed a formal complaint and submitted the video as evidence.
What the Video Shows
The video, which is approximately one minute and 59 seconds long, shows the accused inside a room in the madrasa with the child. The child is seen resisting while the accused allegedly uses force. Police have accepted the video as evidence in the case.
SP Rural Aditya Bansal confirmed the arrest and said the department was committed to ensuring the strictest possible punishment for the accused. “In the video, Maulana Iqbal, who teaches at Islamia Madrasa, is seen sexually assaulting a minor student. Efforts will be made to ensure the strictest punishment for Maulana in this case,” he said.
The accused has been remanded to judicial custody and the investigation is ongoing.
