22 august 2024 : The Bombay High Court has initiated suo motu proceedings regarding the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-old girls at a school located in Badlapur, within Maharashtra’s Thane district. A division bench comprising Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Prithviraj Chavan is scheduled to hear the case on Thursday.
The incident involved two kindergarten students who were reportedly sexually abused in the school restroom by a male sweeper, leading to significant outrage among parents and community members, who protested outside the school on Tuesday. The accused, identified as 23-year-old Akshay Shinde, was apprehended last week.
The protests escalated into violence, with stones being thrown and damage inflicted on the school property. In response, the Maharashtra Police detained over 40 individuals and filed a First Information Report (FIR) against approximately 300 participants in the protest.
The assaults came to light when one of the girls reported experiencing pain in her genital area. She subsequently informed her parents that the accused had touched her while she was using the toilet.
Upon discussing their experiences, the parents of both girls discovered that their daughters had been fearful of attending school and had recounted similar incidents. A local physician confirmed that both girls had indeed been sexually assaulted.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has vowed to take prompt action in this matter by establishing a special investigation team and has also called for a review of the Sakhi Savitree committees in the state, which are designed to safeguard the welfare of women and children.
Susieben Shah, chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, criticized the school for lacking female attendants in the restrooms and for its overall negligence.
“The incident that occurred in Badlapur is highly condemnable. I visited the school yesterday and conducted inquiries, and we identified several deficiencies across various areas,” she stated.
Chief Minister Shinde has faced criticism from opposition parties for allegedly politicizing the situation. Congress state president Nana Patole, along with the NCP(SP), has called for a statewide bandh in Maharashtra on August 24.