Badlapur School Sexual Abuse Case: On Tuesday, thousands of protesters blocked train tracks at Badlapur railway station in Maharashtra’s Thane district, demonstrating against the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-old girls by a school sweeper in the washroom. The large-scale protest caused disruptions in local train services and led to the diversion of some long-distance trains.
Police dispersed the protests at Badlapur railway station after nine hours by using a lathi charge on the demonstrators.
Two four-year-old girls in pre-primary classes at a prominent co-ed school in Badlapur were allegedly sexually assaulted by a 23-year-old male cleaner, Akshay Shinde, on August 12-13. The assaults reportedly took place in the girls’ toilet, which lacked supervision by female staff. The accused had been hired on a contractual basis on August 1, 2024.
The incident came to light when one of the girls, after complaining of pain, revealed her ordeal to her parents. The parents then discovered that a second girl had also allegedly been assaulted. A complaint was filed on the night of August 16, leading to the arrest of the alleged perpetrator.
India Today, referencing an FIR, reported that the incident occurred between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. on August 13. The family of one of the girls became suspicious on August 13 after learning from a relative of the other child that they were planning to file a sexual assault complaint.
The complaint alleges that the girl appeared frightened and told her parents that an older male at the school, whom she referred to as “dada” (Marathi for elder brother), had undressed her and touched her inappropriately.
The family reported the incident to the police on August 16, but they claim that the FIR was not filed until approximately 12 hours later, around 9 p.m. that day, according to the India Today report. The FIR includes details of the alleged abuse by the accused.
Parents and Protesters Block Badlapur Railway Station
On Tuesday morning, the parents of the girls initially held a silent protest outside the school. However, between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m., a large crowd joined the demonstration, intensifying the situation due to insufficient police presence. MNS leader Sangita Chedvankar, who was leading the protest, departed the scene, while Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Kisan Kathore reportedly observed as the crowd grew unruly.
As the protests intensified, the school suspended the principal and three staff members. Protesters have demanded the death penalty for the accused, a school cleaner.
The Thane police have deployed additional forces, and Government Railway Police (GRP) Commissioner Ravindra Shisve attempted to calm the crowd by promising stringent action against the accused. Despite these assurances, the protesters remained resolute and continued their rail blockade.
The police eventually responded by firing tear gas and lathi-charging the crowd that had gathered outside the school and at the railway station. This action further inflamed the protesters, leading them to resort to stone-pelting.
Thane Protest: 12 Trains Diverted, 30 Local Trains Partially Cancelled
The protests at Badlapur railway station in Thane district caused significant disruptions to rail services, resulting in the diversion of 12 mail express trains and the partial cancellation of 30 local trains.
According to a statement from the CPRO Central Railway, “Approximately 12 mail express trains have been diverted, with the Koyna train rerouted from near Badlapur to Kalyan and then to Karjat via Diva and Panvel. Around 30 local trains have been partially cancelled between Ambernath and Karjat/Khopoli. This number is expected to increase significantly during peak hours.”
However, he noted that “services from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) to Ambernath and Kasara are operating normally.”
IMAGE CREDIT: Hindustan Times
