Thousands of protesters blocked train tracks at Badlapur railway station in Maharashtra’s Thane district on Tuesday, following the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-old girls by a school sweeper. The incident occurred in the washroom of a prominent co-ed school in Badlapur, where the 23-year-old male cleaner, Akshay Shinde, allegedly assaulted the girls on August 12-13. The sweeper, who was hired on a contractual basis, reportedly attacked the children in the absence of female staff supervision.
The case came to light when one of the girls complained of pain and disclosed the assault to her parents. Upon further investigation, the parents discovered that another girl had also been victimized. A police complaint was filed on August 16, leading to the arrest of the accused. According to the FIR, the assault occurred between 9 am and 12 pm on August 13.
The protests, which began as a silent demonstration by the girls’ parents outside the school, quickly escalated as a large crowd joined in. The situation worsened due to inadequate police presence, leading to the suspension of the school principal and three staff members. Protesters demanded the death penalty for the accused.
The demonstrations caused significant disruption to local train services, with 12 express trains being diverted and 30 local trains partially canceled. The police eventually dispersed the crowd with tear gas and a lathi charge, but the protests left a lasting impact on the community. The Thane police and Government Railway Police (GRP) are now investigating the case and have promised stern action against the perpetrator.
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