Badlapur School Case: Local Train Services Resume; MVA Calls For Maharashtra Bandh On Aug 24

Massive protests were sparked after the alleged abuse of two kindergarten girls at a school in Badlapur. Police had arrested two staffers in connection with the alleged abuse of the two girls, aged three and four years. A court extended the man's police custody -- accused of sexually abusing the two girls -- till August 26.

A Special Investigation Team was also formed to probe the alleged sexual abuse case as protesters also vandalised the school building.

Notably, the state's opposition group -- the Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) -- has called for Maharashtra Bandh on August 24 due in view of this incident.

The case gains significance amid the nationwide outrage over the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Badlapur School Case | Top Points

• Internet Suspended, Schools Remain Shut: DCP Sudhakar Pathare said that internet services in Badlapur have been suspended in view of the protests and subsequent violence, adding that the services will be restored after reviewing the situation in the town. Local people said that most of the schools in the town also remained shut.

• Police Arrest Protesters: An FIR was registered against around 300 people protesting the alleged Badlapur Kindergarten sexual abuse incident on Tuesday. Police have arrested more than 40 people, news agency ANI reported, adding that the arrested people will be presented in court today.

• Lawyer's Request To Bombay HC: A Mumbai-based lawyer on Tuesday requested the Bombay High Court to take suo motu cognisance of the alleged sexual assault of the two girls at the Badlapur school. Advocate Ajinkya Gaikwad was asked to approach the appropriate division or a two-member bench for the matter.

• Rail Roko Protest: As many as 15 outstation trains were diverted and local train services on the Ambernath-Karjat section were suspended for ten hours, leaving passengers stranded amid the rail roko protest at Badlapur station. The services resumed late at night after the Central Railway operated a light engine between Ambernath and Vangni stations to ensure safety of tracks after the eviction of protesters by the police. Railways had sought the help of state and civic transport bodies to carry stranded commuters between Kalyan and Karjat. The Railway Protection Force had also deployed additional personnel at the stations of this route.

• Uddhav Demands Fast-Track Of Case: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray demanded that the sexual abuse of the two kindergarten students be fast-tracked and speedy justice ensured to the victims. He said that on one hand the state government is running the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin scheme, but daughters and sisters are not safe. He alleged that politics was being played over crime against women by targeting certain States. Thackeray also claimed that the school where the girls were allegedly abused was linked to BJP leaders.

• Sena (Shinde) Leader Accused Of Making Offensive Remarks: A woman journalist covering the Badlapur school case alleged on Tuesday that a local leader of the Shinde camp made an offensive remark against her, saying that she was acting "as if she herself had been raped". However, Waman Mhatre, former mayor of Badlapur from Shinde's Sena, claimed that his remark was misconstrued. "I was insisting that they provide factual information to the protesters. The word 'rape' was consistently used. I was asking them to get factual information, but it was misconstrued," he said.

• Ruling vs Oppn: Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Girish Mahajan justified the police action against the protesters at the rail tracks and accused the opposition of politicising a crime of serious nature. He asserted that the state government had accepted most of the demands of the protesters, adding that it was not possible to accept their request for public execution of the alleged perpetrator. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve hit out at the Shinde government and said that his party will launch a state-wide agitation against the ruling coalition from Wednesday. BJP MLA Kisan Kathore also claimed that some of the protesters had come from outside Badlapur and that the agitation was pre-planned.

• Guilty Won't Be Spared: The Maharashtra government on Tuesday formed a special investigation team (SIT), headed by senior IPS officer Arti Singh, to probe the alleged sexual abuse of the two kindergarten students. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that action will be taken against the school, adding that the case will be fast-tracked and the guilty won't be spared. Meanwhile, state Education minister Deepak Kesarkar said that "Vishakha committees" will be formed in schools, which will also face action if CCTV cameras installed on their premises are found to be non-functional. He said that the panel will provide a platform to girl students, especially those in 9th, 10th and junior college, to raise their greivances. Kesarkar noted that a notice has been issued to the Badlapur school and its principal, adding that a few teachers and two assistants have been suspended.