Two kindergarten girls, aged three and four years, were allegedly sexually abused by a school attendant in Badlapur, Thane district. The incident has sparked a row, with the demonstrators vandalising the school and the angry mob disrupting train services.
Here are the top developments in the Thane sex assault case:
-
The incident took place on August 17. The two kindergarten girls were allegedly sexually abused in the school toilet. The accused has been arrested.
-
The school management suspended the principal, a class teacher, and a female attendant as the case sparked protests.
-
Outraged parents and local citizens staged a ‘rail roko’ protest at Badlapur railway station, blocking trains from 8 am. The protest aimed to demand strict action against the accused and the school.
-
The protest turned violent as some agitators vandalized the school and hurled stones at the railway station. The situation was tense but later brought under control by the police.
-
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde directed that the accused be charged with attempted rape under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. He also ordered the case to be fast-tracked with a special public prosecutor appointed.
-
The local police station in-charge was transferred for failing to act promptly on the parents’ complaint. Two separate probes, one by the education department and another by the police, were ordered to investigate the delay in filing the case.
-
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) announced it would send a team to Thane to investigate the matter. The NCPCR questioned the delay in registering the FIR and vowed to ensure accountability.
-
NCPCR Chairperson Priyank Kanungo said, “The school’s attitude in this case was insensitive. They tried to suppress the case. The concerned police station did not register an FIR in due time… Action should be taken against school administration or those responsible for not registering the FIR and suppressing the case.”