An FIR has been filed against a female teacher, her husband, her brother, and the school manager in Kanpur for attempting religious conversion of a Class 10 student after trapping him in a love affair. The Cantonment police initiated the investigation on Thursday (16th November), following court orders.
The incident dates back to 17th October 2023, when the teacher from a missionary school in Kanpur was suspended for allegedly coercing the student into physical relations and attempting to change his religious beliefs. The victim’s father accused the teacher of attempting to convert his son from Hinduism to Christianity.
This case first made it to the news in October 2023
On October 17, 2023, the teacher Olive Rohit from St. Aloysius’ High School in Kanpur faced suspension following grave accusations. The allegations included pressuring a Class 10 student into engaging in physical relations and attempting religious conversion. The incident raised concerns about the safety and well-being of Hindu students within the educational institution.
The situation escalated to this suspension decision by the school because of protests on 16th October. Activists from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a protest, demanding swift legal action against the accused teacher. Responding to the mounting pressure, the school administration decided to suspend the teacher pending further investigation.
On 11th October 2023, the father of the victim boy had taken a crucial step in seeking justice for his son. He filed a formal complaint with the police, alleging that the accused teacher had engaged in explicit late-night conversations with the minor student.
What was said in the complaint
The victim’s father said that the teacher pressured his son into a false love affair, attempting religious conversion. Despite complaints to law enforcement authorities earlier, no action was taken until the court’s intervention on 7th November. The accused teacher, her husband, and her brother, who also teach in the same school, are also implicated in the case.
The family said that the school administration, led by Principal Walter D’Silva, played a role in converting students under the guise of a love affair. The victim’s father also said that Hindus were derogatorily referred to as beggars, and there were restrictions within the school, such as a ban on applying tilak and tying kalava.
The father of the victim minor said in his plea, “When a complaint was made regarding this matter in the school, the teacher admitted to her actions. Subsequently, she started attempting to find the child’s address to harass him, presumably to prevent the case from reaching the court. The teacher’s brother also issued threats, indicating an intent to cause harm to life and property.”
The inaction by the police prompted the victim to go to court
As the gravity of the allegations became apparent, the court intervened on 7th November 2023. The court issued orders directing the police to register an FIR against not only the accused teacher, but also her husband, brother, and the school manager.
In compliance with the court’s directives, on 16th November 2023, an FIR was officially registered against the accused parties. The charges included sections 9, 10, and 23 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.
In the FIR, allegations have been levelled against the accused teacher, Olive Rohit, stating that she facilitated religious conversions of other students in the school. Additionally, she is accused of circulating the image of the minor to others, including some media portals. The aggrieved father has also filed a police complaint against ‘JMD News’ and ‘SP News 365,’ stating that they have circulated the child’s image.
Delayed legal action
It is noteworthy that despite the victim’s father filing a complaint on October 11, an FIR was not registered until November 16, raising concerns about the delay in legal proceedings. The Kanpur Police are currently investigating the matter, and no arrests have been made as of now. Further action will be determined based on the findings of the investigation.
Chats between the accused teacher and victim student surfaced
The chats between the two have also gone viral. In a Facebook Messenger chat, the boy is asking why she will come at 7:10, to which the teacher responds that they were asked to come at that time. The boy then asks her to come whenever she wants. In subsequent chats, a background heart emoji is visible. In one of the chats, the teacher is writing ‘Miss you, want you,’ while the boy is responding with ‘I love you.’ There is a conversation about hugging in one chat. In another chat, the boy is angry because the female teacher liked another boy’s picture on social media.
Then the teacher clarifies that the boy whose post she liked is like her brother. On the other side, the boy threatens that he will like and comment on every girl’s post. In one chat, the lady teacher expresses that her heart is broken, talking about going away forever and repeatedly mentioning that her heart is crying. On the other hand, the boy wrote, “You made me zero; I was very good.” The mentioned school is located in Cantonment, Kanpur. The court also found in its analysis that the evidence provided by the victim’s family and the messages found on the teacher’s phone supported the claims in the complaint.
OpIndia contacted the victim student’s father
While discussing this matter with OpIndia, the child’s father revealed that until he achieves justice for his son, he will not tie the sacred lock of hair (Shikha). He explained that he has a son and a daughter, with the son being younger. He also accused the police of taking bribes from the implicated teacher.
The victim’s father told OpIndia that the court’s order was dated 7th November, it came on November 9, while the police delayed filing the FIR by a week. He accused the Station House Officer (SHO) of preparing a biased investigation report against him and levelling counter-allegations that the father of the child intended to have an illicit relationship with the woman. The father stated that the officer in charge, Ajay Singh, subsequently accepted a complaint from the teacher’s side. He also accused the police of misconduct against him and his wife at the police station.
The aggrieved father has also sent a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, providing details about the case. Speaking to OpIndia, he revealed that to close the matter, the Station House Officer (SHO) exerted pressure on him and threatened to frame him in several false cases. The accused teacher is reported to be 43 years old. The name of another teacher, Lokesh, has also emerged, and the victim’s father said that the accused female teacher has been living with Lokesh for the past few months after leaving her husband.
Lokesh also allegedly threatened the child’s father over the phone. The father accused him of revealing the identity of the child and his family and circulating it in the school’s WhatsApp group. He mentioned that despite providing links, the police officer in charge stated that no evidence was found. He claimed that such police officers are tarnishing the reputation of CM Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aiming to disturb the public’s trust in them. He accused the police of accepting a hefty bribe from the accused teacher.
The father said, “The missionaries are not lacking in funds. After my son got entangled in their trap, there was a change in his behaviour. When my wife performed evening prayers, my son expressed his disapproval. If she went to the temple, he started reacting negatively. We are not sending our child to school; his academic year is being ruined. Despite our pleas, the police and administration are not taking any action. The child will not be able to study there. Our request to transfer him to another school was not accepted.”
A video from the police station has also emerged, in which the police are telling the parents of the victim student not to get involved with them. Additionally, the police also accused the parents of lying about the incident.
The officer named Rohit says in a sting video, “Recording statements without the parents is not unjust. The law is one thing, and morality is another. We have to follow the orders given by the authorities, and if something goes wrong in that process, it’s not a sin. I have all the evidence of who said what. Something wrong has happened with the child, and there is a limit to it. I apologise. When everything was done, I did not seize the phone.” OpIndia has video footage, a copy of the FIR, and other documents related to the case.
