In the early hours, thousands of protesters converged on Badlapur train station, bringing train operations to a standstill. As the protest continued for over six hours, the growing crowd intensified fears of a possible disruption to public order.
A massive protest erupted in Maharashtra’s Thane over the sexual assault of two four-year-old girls at a local school, leading to a violent clash between demonstrators and police. The protest, which lasted over six hours at Badlapur railway station, was eventually dispersed by police using batons and tear gas. As the situation escalated, the station turned into a chaotic scene, with protesters hurling stones and police chasing them down.
The protest was fueled by growing outrage as more details of the assault emerged. Thousands gathered at the Badlapur train station in the morning, blocking train movements and demanding justice. Despite efforts by the government to defuse tensions, the crowd’s anger intensified, with many calling for the death penalty for the 23-year-old cleaner accused of the crime.
Adding to the public’s fury was the claim by the Opposition that the victims’ parents were forced to wait 11 hours at a local police station before being allowed to file a First Information Report (FIR). In response, three police personnel have been suspended. The incident comes in the wake of the recent rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata, which has already sparked widespread outrage, particularly within the medical community.
Maharashtra’s Leader of Opposition, Vijay Wadettiwar, called the Badlapur incident “bigger” than the Kolkata case due to the young age of the victims. “Atrocities are committed on a three-and-a-half-year-old girl, a four-year-old girl, and at the police station, they (parents) are made to wait for 11 hours when they seek to file a complaint… Is there any sensitivity left?” Wadettiwar stated, according to the Press Trust of India.
The assault occurred on August 16 inside the girls’ toilet at an English Medium school. The accused has since been arrested, and the school’s administration has suspended the principal and dismissed the class teacher and nanny. Investigations revealed multiple security lapses at the school, including the absence of female attendants in the girls’ toilets and malfunctioning CCTV cameras.
In response, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team, led by a woman IPS officer, to handle the case. The police have also been instructed to submit a proposal for a fast-track court to expedite the trial.
