Cleaning personnel in Thane, Maharashtra, sexually raped two four-year-old girls at an English-medium school. Massive demonstrations have been sparked by the tragedy, and locals have blocked the Mumbai rail
route at the Badalpur railway station, stopping all train traffic.
Images showed demonstrators running across the railroad tracks while throwing stones at police. On August 16, a male cleaning staff member, age 23, is accused of sexually abusing the two four-year-old girls inside their school’s restroom. Since then, a FIR has been filed against the culprit, leading to his arrest.
The school’s response to the incident has done little to quell the fury of the parents and local residents. Although the school administration has suspended the principal and dismissed the class teacher and nanny involved, parents remain dissatisfied.
Many parents believe that the school has failed to take full responsibility for the safety of their children, and they are particularly incensed by the lack of an official apology or assurance from the school management.
Investigations by the police have uncovered significant lapses in the school’s security measures. The probe has revealed that there were no female attendants present in the girls’ toilets, a basic safety requirement in any educational setting. Additionally, many of the school’s CCTV cameras were found to be non-functional.
To look into the sexual assault cases, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the creation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Additionally, he has mandated that the Thane Police Commissioner present a plan today for bringing the matter before a fastrack court.
Eknath Shinde, the chief minister, has also acknowledged the occurrence.
“I have given the occurrence at Badlapur careful consideration. We have already established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and will be pursuing legal action against the institution where the incident occurred. No one will be spared if found guilty; we are working to expedite this case,” he declared.
Vijay Wadettiwar, the Maharashtra leader of the opposition, has said that there has been a breakdown in the state of law and order. “This incident will make Maharashtra seem bad. The Congress leader stated, “Everyone is asking that the case be expedited and that the accused be hanged within three months.”
Uddhav Thackeray, the former chief minister, insisted on swift punishment for the offenders. “Nirbhaya (the case) occurred in Delhi ten years ago, and those responsible were punished, but how long did it take? Justice should not be withheld from those who delay it. Politics should not be involved,” he continued.
