Badlapur sexual assault: ‘School’s attitude angered protesters’

Protesters outside the Badlapur school. Pics/Navneet Barhate

Two four-year-old girls were allegedly sexually assaulted by a male member of the school's cleaning staff on August 12 and 13 at a well-known local school in Badlapur. Following an alleged delay in action by the school administration and police in registering an FIR, the locals erupted in protests. When Minister Girish Mahajan urged demonstrators to end their rail blockade, the unified and angry crowd chanted "Phaasi! Phaasi!" (demanding capital punishment) for the accused.

The case came to light when one of the victims refused to attend school and showed signs of extreme anxiety and fear. Subsequent medical examinations confirmed sexual assault, and it was later discovered that another girl had also been abused under similar circumstances. According to the parents' complaints, the accused, 23-year-old Akshay Shinde, allegedly committed these acts in the school toilets.

The protesters barge into school, throw stones (right) the vandalised school property

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"Despite our repeated requests, the school kept delaying the matter, which angered all parents. Regarding the stone pelting and rail blockade protests, I ask, what would you do as parents of a little girl who was sexually assaulted? Citizens will take to the streets and fight, as we did. We want justice, and we want it fast-tracked," said a parent of a student at the Badlapur school.

"I know taking the law into our own hands was illegal, but the indifferent attitude of the authorities angered protesters. I was there, and I fully support all those involved," added another parent. Another protesting parent stated, "This is not the first time the school has tried to cover up an incident. We've heard about many such cases that were quietly handled by the administration and never addressed properly."

Police personnel firing tear gas outside the school

After a 12-hour delay in registering the FIR, angry parents and citizens in Badlapur took their protests to the local railway station, disrupting train services for hours. In response, the school suspended both the principal and a class teacher and terminated its contract with the cleaning agency responsible for employing Shinde. AIMIM leader Imtiyaz Jaleel called for a special legislative session to strengthen laws against such incidents.

Raj Thackeray and his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena vowed to keep this issue at the forefront until the accused is severely punished. Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Raj Thackeray wrote in Marathi: "The horrifying incident involving young girls at a school in Badlapur is shocking and infuriating. Why did the police take 12 hours just to register the crime? On one hand, we speak of a nation ruled by law, and on the other, we see this negligence by the police."

Tyres burnt by protesters in Badlapur

Girish Mahajan, facing protesters at the site, confirmed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and promised stern action. He said, "I agree that what happened was very unfortunate and deplorable. However, blocking railways and roads inconveniences many innocent people across the city who are not involved in this issue. All top leaders in the government, including the chief minister and deputy chief minister, have assured that an SIT will be formed and the case will be fast-tracked."

The political heat continued with Sushma Andhare demanding the resignation of Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis, critiquing his seven-year tenure marked by rising incidents of assaults on women. Uddhav Thackeray emphasised the urgency of swift, non-political justice for the victims.

One of the protesters throwing a tear gas canister back towards the cops

Speaking to the media, Fadnavis said: "The chief minister has taken note of this. A senior officer, IPS Arti Singh, has been immediately appointed to conduct the inquiry. A charge sheet will be filed immediately, and this matter will be heard in a fast-track court."

The community's outcry is visible at the school gates, where citizens and parents have staged a sit-in protest, demanding not just justice but also assurances of safety for all students. Some protesters even barged into the school and vandalised it. While some parents claim the mob was associated with a political outfit, they could not confirm their affiliation.