Residents across communities in Dahod district are calling for the execution of Govind Nat, a school principal accused of molesting and killing a six-year-old Class 1 student in Toyni village, Singvad taluka.

As investigators recreated the crime in the presence of the accused, villagers held a march from  the Ramdevpir Temple in nearby Limkheda taluka during which they chanted slogans calling for capital punishment for Nat. Expressing shock and anger, they also submitted a petition to the mamlatdar’s office, intensifying their appeal for the harshest punishment possible. 

Victim’s last day

The crime scene reconstruction triggered painful memories for the victim's mother

“Since her school in Toyni is 1.5 km away, one of the four teachers at the school would often give us a lift in their cars as they passed. That morning, I was waiting with her, as usual, a little away from our house, when Principal Nat came by. He stopped as soon as he saw us and offered my daughter a lift,” she said. 

“It was around 10.15. I never dreamed that I’d never see her again.” 

Nat is accused of molesting the child in his car and killing her when she screamed for help. 

Police are now also looking into the possibility that Nat sexually assaulted other minors as well. 

Anxious parents have been keeping their children home. Barely 81 of the school’s 196 students have been present since the incident on September 20. Those who do attend are too scared to spend any time in almost-empty classrooms, especially since the teachers are often at the police station, helping with the investigation. So, Class 1 to 5 students have classes in one room, officials say.

Keeping a distance

Nat, the 56-year-old father of three adult children, is currently in police custody. Investigators had asked for a 14-day remand, but the court granted them four days for custodial interrogation. 

The Limkheda Bar Association refused to represent Nat, who eventually addressed the court himself on September 23 and promised to cooperate with the investigation. 

Since news of his arrest broke, Nat — who was reportedly associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — has been finding himself increasingly isolated. 

The VHP’s south Gujarat office has issued an official statement distancing itself from the arrested principal. “Govind Nat is not associated with the VHP, nor does he hold any position or office. Neither is he an activist,” it said.

Some reports indicate that Nat broke ties with the RSS a few years ago, but photos of him attending BJP rallies and events have been shared widely on social media. The BJP and RSS are yet to issue formal statements. 

As the legal process unfolds, the community’s call for the death penalty underscores the severity of the crime and the public’s demand for justice. The case continues to be a focal point of attention in Dahod, highlighting issues of child safety and the swift punishment of such heinous acts.

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Dahod principal kills 6-year-old in car after molesting her