Protesters Disrupt Railway Traffic in Badlapur, Maharashtra, in Response to Sexual Assault of Two Nursery Students

A large protest broke out at Badlapur Railway Station on Tuesday against the alleged sexual assault of two nursery school children by a male attendant at a local school. Protesters halted local train services, chanting slogans demanding justice.

The incident reportedly occurred on August 12-13, 2024, when two four-year-old girls from a prominent co-ed school in Badlapur were allegedly assaulted by a 23-year-old male cleaning staff member inside a girls' restroom.

The girls went to use the restroom during their morning classes when the assault occurred. According to trusted sources, the school had not assigned any female staff to supervise the girls' toilets. The accused, Akshay Shinde, was hired on a contractual basis starting August 1, 2024, and was responsible for cleaning the girls' restroom at the time of the incident.

The parents of the two girls filed a complaint on Friday night, leading to the arrest of the accused by the police. The incident was revealed when one of the girls complained of pain in her private areas and told her parents that the accused had inappropriately touched her while she was using the restroom. Concerned, the parents reached out to the other girl's family, who was close to their daughter. The second girl's parents reported that their child had feared attending school since the incident.

Both girls were taken to a local hospital, where doctors confirmed that they had been sexually assaulted. The police investigation revealed several shortcomings on the part of the school management. According to reports, the school had failed to provide female staff for supervision in the girls' restroom and had non-functional CCTV cameras.

The entire state education department's machinery has been turned on, according to Maharashtra Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar.

"We have given instructions to 4 IAS officers from Pune and Mumbai. We are inquiring why the CCTV was not working in the school. We will take this case to Fast Track court and ensure that the maximum punishment is given to the accused...Our entire department is present here, and the safety of students is our priority," said Maharashtra Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar.

To ensure that "no other child or woman faces this travesty," Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi pleaded with President Droupadi Murmu to approve the Maharashtra Shakti Criminal Law.