The Bhopal Police on Monday arrested two persons after a three-and-a-half-year-old nursery student of a private school in the city was allegedly raped, reported PTI.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Nidhi Saxena said that the girl was sexually assaulted by a bus driver in the presence of a female attendant on September 8.

The police arrested the main accused Hanumant Jatav and bus attendant Urmila Sahu on Monday under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

The incident is said to have taken place inside a school bus, after which the driver changed the child’s school dress with a spare one that was kept in her bag. The child’s mother grew suspicious when she returned home in the changed dress and inquired about this with the school authorities, who denied changing the student’s clothes.

“The girl informed her parents that driver touched her face and body and also sexually assaulted her,” said Saxena. “The mother told us that a few days ago that the girl had complained of pain in her private parts, but she didn’t pay much attention.”

The police are looking for the place of crime, while medical report of the victim is awaited.

“The bus has CCTV cameras but the school informed the police that they used to delete the footage every two to three days,” Bhopal Commissioner of Police Makrand Deoskar told the Hindustan Times.

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said on Tuesday that he believes the school authorities tried to cover up the matter. “They will be also be investigated and questioned in the case,” Mishra said.