Banja Luka: Man arrested for attacking children near schools

Parents of students at Banja Luka elementary schools can finally breathe a sigh of relief as the man who was intercepting and attacking their children has been arrested, reports the Patria News Agency

The suspect in the abuse is believed to be Damir Ajlec, a 29-year-old homeless man with mild developmental disabilities. For months, parents feared him and did not allow their children to go to school alone.

Some of them had also contacted ATV. The police have so far uncovered five cases, but suspect there may be more.

"Given that out of a total of five solved incidents, only two were reported by parents, and the other three incidents were solved through the operational work of police officers, the Banja Luka Public Security Center hereby calls on parents, teaching staff, as well as all citizens to report such information to the nearest police station," said Gospa Arsenić, Banja Luka Public Security Center.

Ajlec intercepted girls between the ages of eight and ten near the elementary schools "Ivo Andrić" and "Aleksa Šantić". He showed them pornographic images, questioned them, and harassed them.

The attacker intercepted one student from the "Ivo Andrić" school and tried to take her with him. The mother reacted quickly to her call and prevented a tragedy.

With the arrest, the police concluded a months-long investigation. According to unofficial information from ATV, plainclothes police officers were on duty near the schools for days. Yesterday, the man was handed over to the Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Office.

The 29-year-old man is being questioned by inspectors at the District Prosecutor's Office this morning, in the presence of a prosecutor. He is suspected of attacking girls from several Banja Luka elementary schools in the past three years. According to unofficial information from ATV, several criminal charges for theft and aggravated theft have been filed against the arrested man previously.

The prosecutor will decide whether Ajlec will be remanded in custody. The police have not clarified whether he is the attacker who appeared near the "Jovan Cvijić" Elementary School.

In several Banja Luka elementary schools, parents have initiated an initiative to introduce school police officers or security guards, as they fear for the safety of their children.