Sidra Fatima ( The Observer Post )
Amidst the surge in the rape cases and ongoing unrest in the nation after the Kolkata rape-murder case that happened on August 9 there comes another case of barbaric sexual assault.
Two 4-year-old nursery students were allegedly sexually assaulted by a male attendant on August 16 at an English-medium school in Badlapur, Thane district of Maharashtra. The accused has since been arrested after an FIR was filed against him.
Reportedly, the incident came to light when one of the 4-year-old girls told her guardian about the sexual abuse at school.
Following this, a massive protest broke out at Badlapur in Maharashtra’s Thane district on Tuesday, resulting in Mumbai local train services on the Central Line coming to a complete halt.
Massive Protest
In a video making rounds all over the internet, hundreds of demonstrators could be seen demanding justice by raising slogans like, “We want justice, we want justice.” Meanwhile, in another video, demonstrators were seen pelting stones at cops as they fled across the railway tracks.
Dr Swapnil Nila, Public Relations Officer, Central Railway, said the “rail-roko” protest at the Badlapur railway station from 10.10 am affected Mumbai local train services, with no signs of immediate commencement.
A CR official said train operations in both directions had been completely halted and ten express trains had been diverted through the Karjat-Panvel-Thane route towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). Furthermore, the Badlapur to Karjat services remained suspended, while local trains between CSTM and Ambernath were running normally.
Failure in School’s Management
Investigations by the police have revealed significant failures in the school’s security measures. Reportedly, there were no female attendants present in the girls’ washroom. In addition to this, many of the school’s CCTV cameras were found to be non-functional.
Reaction of School and Parents
On getting cognisant of the incident, the school suspended the accused, the principal, and dismissed the class teacher; however, parents remained dissatisfied.
Many parents opine that the school has failed to take full onus for the safety of their children, which has resulted in such a crime.
Reaction of the Government
According to the reports, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate into the sexual assault cases. He has also ordered the Thane Police Commissioner to submit a proposal to take the case to a fast-track court.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde addressed the media, stating that he had spoken with the Thane police commissioner, who confirmed that the accused in the sexual assault case had already been arrested. Shinde assured that the investigation would be fast-tracked, emphasising the need for institutions to conduct thorough background checks when hiring staff.
Taking to social media platform (formerly X) Maharashtra DGIPR posted, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has taken serious note of the abuse against girls at a school in Badlapur. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has directed that the case be fast-tracked in a special court to ensure strict punishment for the accused.
Vijay Wadettiwar, Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra, has condemned the recent incident as a significant failure of law and order in the state. “This incident is set to tarnish Maharashtra’s reputation. There is widespread demand for a fast-track trial and for the accused to be executed within three months,” the Congress leader stated.
Former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has called for swift justice, emphasising the need for prompt action. “The Nirbhaya case in Delhi was resolved after ten years. Those who delay justice should also be held accountable. The situation should not be politicised,” Thackeray said.
