Court and Government Response to School Assault Case in Badlapur
On Tuesday, two lawyers, Ajinkya Gaikwad and Santosh Garud, called upon the Bombay High Court to take suo moto cognizance of a grave case involving the sexual assault of two young girls at a school in Badlapur, Thane district. The matter was initially presented to Justice Bharati Dangre, who advised that it should be referred to an appropriate bench rather than a single-judge bench.
Gaikwad highlighted the urgency of the case, detailing that the victims, aged three and four, were assaulted by Akshay Shinde, a 23-year-old school attendant. The assaults reportedly took place in the school’s toilet. The abuse came to light when one of the girls complained of pain, leading to a medical examination that confirmed the assault.
In the wake of the revelation, local parents and residents staged violent protests, vandalizing the school and disrupting train services at Badlapur railway station. The protests escalated, with some demonstrators engaging in stone pelting. The situation was eventually brought under control by the police.
In response to the incident, the school management has suspended the principal, a class teacher, and a female attendant. The Maharashtra government has also acted decisively, suspending three police officials, including a senior inspector, for alleged negligence. The Chief Minister’s Office has warned of legal consequences for the school management if negligence is proven.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has instructed the Thane Police Commissioner to expedite the investigation and review the establishment of Sakhi Savitri committees in schools to protect students. Additionally, the government is considering measures to improve school safety, including installing complaint boxes and enhancing scrutiny of staff interacting with students. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to thoroughly investigate the case.
(With inputs from agency)
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