Public trust in institutions erodes when those entrusted with protecting society abuse their authority, especially when the victims are children. Two disturbing incidents in Goa last week have brought this aspect into sharp focus. One incident allegedly took place within the confines of a police inspector’s cabin; the other unfolded during the everyday journeys children make to school. Different settings, but a deeply connecting thread: the abuse of authority and a failure to protect minors.
The first case involves the very institution that people turn to to seek justice. Crime Branch Police Inspector Vikas Deykar, who recently received the President’s honour, has been charged under the POCSO Act for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl inside his cabin. The girl had reportedly approached the Crime Branch for help with a cyber-related complaint.
According to the charges, she was called to the office outside regular working hours and left alone with the inspector, without the presence of a female police officer or an NGO representative. Even more disturbing is the allegation that the CCTV camera in his cabin was deliberately covered, apparently to prevent the incident from being recorded.
The Crime Branch is a department that investigates offences and crimes, and its bounden duty is to uphold the law. When a high-ranking officer is accused of exploiting a minor who approached him for help, it raises serious questions about the safeguards within the police system and the extent to which those in positions of authority are held accountable.
The initial decision to transfer the officer to the Goa Reserve Police, rather than take immediate and decisive action, says a lot. It was only after considerable public criticism that his suspension was ordered. Such responses create an impression that the first instinct of an institution is to protect its own rather than address allegations against them.
The second incident, reported from Verna, is equally distressing. A conductor associated with the Bal Rath school bus service has been booked for allegedly molesting several children studying in Classes V to VII. The alleged abuse is said to have continued over an extended period, raising serious concerns about how such behaviour could go unnoticed for so long.
The Bal Rath scheme was introduced to make school transportation accessible and affordable for children across Goa. For many parents, these buses are an essential part of their children's daily routine. Every morning, they entrust their children to the people responsible for getting them safely to school and back home. The fact that a school counsellor reportedly had to uncover the children's experiences makes the situation even more painful. It raises questions about checks meant to protect these students.
Children are vulnerable because they often lack the confidence to challenge adults in positions of power. Institutions must have systems that prevent abuse and respond immediately when complaints emerge. The transport staff must undergo proper background verification, regular screening and child-safety training.
The test of any institution is not how proudly it speaks of its achievements, but how firmly it acts when one of its own is accused of betraying public trust. Awards, uniforms, official positions and years of service cannot place anyone above the law. The children involved deserve justice, their families deserve answers, and Goa deserves institutions that can be trusted. Besides the administrative responsibility, they have a moral duty to protect children. When that duty is betrayed, accountability must be uncompromising.
