Kandy Times

Be vigilant of school vans, parents warned

By L.B. Senaratne

Following the recent detection of the abuse of an underage student of a leading school by school van drivers, Kandy Police warned parents to take extra precautions to protect their children from being victims of these unscrupulous drivers.

The warning came after the arrest of three school van drivers who were allegedly involved in abusing school children, Police said.

The three drivers were arrested while one of them was sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy in a van close to the Kandy town, police said.

The Kandy Women’s and Child Bureau said that with the arrest they had been able to uncover a racket where school van drivers had been sexually assaulting students offering them gifts including cellular phones.

Inspector(Mrs.) Anuruddika Bamunusinghe with two other women Police officers were on their way on duty when they saw a parked van which had aroused their suspicion. They witnessed the child being abused and immediately took the persons into custody.

The 15-year-old student is from a popular school in Kandy, but was travelling from a distant area to school. The boy had been offered a cellular telephone and had been asked to come in casual dress without wearing his school uniform.

The three drivers and the boy were sent to the Kandy Judicial Medical Officer for a medical examination. The student was released while the three drivers were remanded.

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