Badlapur: School Vandalised, Trains Blocked In Protest Over Alleged Sex Abuse Of Kindergarten Girls

On August 17, the police arrested a school attendant at the school for allegedly abusing two girls studying in the kindergarten, aged three and four years. As per the complaint, he abused the girls in the toilet of the school.

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged sexual abuse case as protesters vandalised the school building apart from blocking railway tracks.

Badlapur School Case | Key Points

-Principal Suspended: The management of the school in question at Badlapur in Maharashtra's Thane district has suspended its principal and two staffers in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of two girls.

-What The Girls Revealed: The arrest in the alleged case came after the two girls told their parents that the attendant touched them inappropriately, following which a complaint was filed and a case was registered against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

-What School Said: In the wake of the incident, the management of the school said on Monday late evening that it has suspended the principal, a class teacher and a female attendant, holding them responsible for it. The school management also tendered an apology over the episode and said it has blacklisted the firm which has been given the contract for housekeeping.

-Cop Transferred: The Badlapur police also transferred the police station in-charge for the alleged failure to take action when the parents approached the police, an official cited in a news agency PTI report said.

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-Angry Parents Block Trains: On Tuesday, August 20, morning, a large group of the parents of the children studying in the school gathered outside the institution to demand strict action against those guilty. After some time, carrying banners and placards, protesters, including a large number of women, came onto the tracks at the Badlapur railway and blocked trains, shouting slogans to demand action against the guilty. The protest reportedly hit movement of trains on Up and Down routes since around 8 am. The Chief Public Relation Officers (CPRO) of Central Railways said on Tuesday 10 Mail Express trains were diverted via Karjat-Panvel-Thane station, while locals between CSMT and Ambarnath were running normally and Badlapur to Karjat services were suspended due to the rail blockade.

-Badlapur Bandh Call: Several organisations have given a call for Badlapur Bandh to protest against the incident. Local MLA Kisan Kathore took up the issue with the authorities, and demanded strong action against the accused along with the police personnel who failed to take timely action.

-Protesters Refuse To Withdraw Rail Blockade: Protesters at Badlapur railway station refused to heed pleas of the state government to allow the passage of trains. State cabinet minister Girish Mahajan tried to pacify the protesters in the afternoon who responded with slogans like "justice" for the victim girls and capital punishment for the arrested accused. Mahajan's appeal to vacate the train tracks was met with the chanting of "hang, hang" by demonstrators.

-SIT Formed: The Maharashtra government on Tuesday ordered the setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged sexual abuse of two girl students. The SIT will be headed by Inspector General of Police-rank officer Aarti Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fanavis, who heads the Home Department, stated on X. Fadnavis stated he has directed the Thane Police Commissioner to prepare a proposal to try the case in a fast-track court

-Woman IPS Officers To Lead Probe: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said an inquiry led by a woman IPS officer has been ordered into an incident. Talking to reporters, Fadnavis said the state government has appointed Arti Singh, an inspector general-rank Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, to conduct the inquiry. "It will be our endeavour to inquire into the incident at the earliest. We want to file the chargesheet in this case as soon as possible and place the matter before a fast-track court for hearing," he said.