Abdul Rehman (33), alias Rauf Shaikh, the private van driver who was arrested on Monday for sexually assaulting a six-year-old, has been remanded in police custody till February 23. Shaikh allegedly committed the offence after threatening to kill the girl’s parents.

Investigators are going through CCTV footage to see how Shaikh managed to enter the school, where he committed the offence. “The school is very strict and private van drivers are not allowed to enter the premises. Also, the survivor does not travel in Shaikh’s van. A probe is on to know how Shaikh…without getting caught took the survivor with him to commit the offence. This shows a security lapse,“ said a DN Nagar police officer. The police will record the statements of the school’s teachers.

Investigators are also getting details on Shaikh’s antecedents: whether he has commit ted similar offences in the past.He has been booked under the Indian Penal Code’s sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 354-A (sexual harassment), 3762-1 (rape), 354-A (physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures) and under several sections of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Parents of other students from the school have demanded tighter security. The authorities say they are looking into it. “We already have CCTV cameras, but are looking to install more.We are also deploying more security on campus,“ said the school’s principal.

Experts feel that such repea ted incidents need more than electronic surveillance. “Young children cannot take care of themselves and hence must not be left unattended. There also needs to be a check on child pornography on mobile phones especially of people who handle children,“ said Swati Popat Vats, president, Early Childho od Association.

There is also a need for ac ceptance. “We continue to igno re these things because we like to believe that this will not hap pen to my child or school. Only once we accept this, will we be able to take the right precautio nary measures and action,“ said Pooja Taparia, founder, Arpan an NGO working against child sexual abuse. School bus owners said the incidents have time and again shown the need to regula te private vans. “The rules are very strict for school buses, but these do not apply on vans; the safety of students is at risk,“ sa id Anil Garg of the School Bus Owners Association.