Badlapur: School Sweeper Arrested for Assaulting Two 4-Year-Old Girls in Bathroom; City Shutdown Disrupts Train Services

Parents, seeking the death penalty for the accused, staged a protest on the railway tracks, causing disruptions to the train schedule between Kalyan and Karjat.

Two young girls, both aged four, were allegedly sexually assaulted by a school sweeper in the washroom of a prominent school in Badlapur, sparking widespread protests across Thane district as outraged parents took to the streets.

The suspect, Akshay Shinde, employed as a cleaner by a third-party contractor, was apprehended after parents insisted on filing an official complaint. Despite initial reluctance from the police, who delayed registering the FIR for over 12 hours, the parents' persistence led to the arrest.

In response to the heinous crime, parents have demanded the death penalty for the accused. Their anger culminated in a city-wide shutdown of Badlapur and a protest on the railway tracks, disrupting train services between Kalyan and Karjat on Tuesday.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has taken note of the incident and plans to dispatch a team to Badlapur for an investigation.

School's Response and Action

The school issued a public apology, acknowledging serious lapses in student safety. The administration pledged to bolster security by installing additional CCTV cameras across the campus and implementing stricter safety protocols. They also committed to full cooperation with the investigation.

However, these assurances did little to appease the parents. The school was compelled to suspend the principal, dismiss the class teacher responsible for the girls, and terminate the contracts of the two attendants who were supposed to escort students to the washroom. Additionally, the school ended its contract with the company employing the accused and blacklisted the contractor.

On Tuesday, schools in the area remained closed in solidarity with the protesting parents.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde urged protesters to avoid blocking the railway tracks. He assured the public that the police would thoroughly investigate the case, emphasizing that no one, including police officers or school officials, would be spared.

Deputy CM Fadnavis Steps In

Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the Thane Police Commissioner to immediately suspend the senior police inspector, assistant sub-inspector, and head constable of Badlapur police station for their delayed response in handling the case. This action followed allegations by the parents that they were forced to wait over 12 hours to file the FIR.

Furthermore, an investigation led by IG Rank officer IPS Arti Singh has been ordered to scrutinize the case.

This incident, closely following the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder, once again highlights the pervasive issue of safety for women of all ages in the country.