Badlapur: Internet suspended, schools closed amid sexual abuse protest.
According to officials, an additional police force has been deployed in Badlapur to maintain law and order following the recent unrest. The unrest was triggered by protests against a reported case of sexual abuse, leading to the suspension of internet services and the closure of schools in the town. The heightened police presence aims to ensure public safety and prevent further escalation of tensions. While the situation remains tense, authorities report that the town is gradually returning to normalcy. Efforts are being made to restore calm and address the concerns of the local community.
In the wake of a massive protest at Badlapur in Maharashtra’s Thane district over the alleged sexual abuse of two kindergarten girls, internet services in the town were suspended, and most schools remained shut on Wednesday, according to officials.
The protest, which took place on Tuesday, resulted in violence, including incidents of stone-pelting at the railway station and other parts of Badlapur. At least 17 city police personnel and around eight railway cops were injured during the clashes. Authorities have arrested 72 individuals in connection with the violence, officials said.
To maintain law and order, an additional police force has been deployed in the town. Officials reported that the situation is gradually returning to normalcy. However, the events of Tuesday left the entire Badlapur town virtually at a standstill as thousands of protesters blocked railway tracks at the station and stormed a local school building. The protest was triggered by the alleged sexual abuse of two girls by the school sweeper in the washroom the previous week.
The protesters, enraged by the incident, hurled stones at police personnel and vandalized the school building. In response, the police resorted to a cane-charge to disperse the crowd and clear the tracks for train movement.
Speaking to PTI, DCP Sudhakar Pathare confirmed that internet services in the town were suspended due to the protest and the subsequent violence. He mentioned that the services would be restored after a review of the situation in the town.
Local residents noted that most schools in Badlapur remained shut on Wednesday as a precautionary measure.
A senior police official in Badlapur stated that during the protest, an angry mob attacked police personnel with stones, resulting in injuries to at least 17 city police officers, including two senior officials. The police have registered three FIRs against the miscreants on charges of violation of prohibitory orders, armed unlawful assembly, assault, and damage to public property. The injured police personnel are receiving treatment at various local hospitals.
So far, a total of 40 individuals have been arrested in connection with the stone-pelting and other crimes related to the protest. The police are continuing their efforts to identify other offenders by examining CCTV footage and video news clippings, the official added.
Commissioner of Government Railway Police (GRP), Ravindra Shisve, informed that one FIR has been registered regarding the violence at Badlapur railway station, and 32 people have been arrested. He also mentioned that seven to eight railway police personnel, including officials, were injured during the stone-pelting.
The arrest of the school attendant on August 17, accused of sexually abusing the two kindergarten girls in the school toilet, has further intensified the situation. Following the incident, the school management took action by suspending the principal, a class teacher, and a female attendant. Additionally, the state government ordered the suspension of three police officials, including a senior police inspector, for alleged dereliction of duty in investigating the sexual abuse case.
On Tuesday, angry parents of the school children and local citizens, including several women, gathered outside the school to express their outrage. The protest escalated into a ‘rail roko’ at the railway station, blocking the path of local trains from around 8:30 a.m. Some of the protesters, including women, later damaged school property, breaking its gate, window panes, benches, and doors.
Sources revealed that the school where the incident occurred is owned by a close relative of a BJP leader from Badlapur. The political connection has further complicated the situation, drawing attention to the handling of the case.
In response to the growing public outcry, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter, headed by senior IPS officer Arti Singh. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also assured the public that strict action would be taken against the school and that the case would be fast-tracked to ensure that justice is served.
Senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, who has been appointed as the special public prosecutor in the sexual abuse case, condemned the police’s delay in lodging an FIR. In a television interview, Nikam criticized the inaction of the police officers, emphasizing that such delays can lead to the loss of crucial evidence in sensitive cases like this.
The opposition parties have seized the opportunity to criticize the ruling Mahayuti government over the handling of the issue, accusing it of negligence and lack of accountability.
As the situation in Badlapur remains under close scrutiny, authorities are working to restore order and address the deep-seated anger among the local community. The incident has sparked widespread concern over the safety of children in schools and the adequacy of responses by law enforcement agencies in such critical cases.