Two kindergarten girls in Badlapur, Maharashtra, India, were allegedly sexually abused by a cleaning staff member at their school last week. The incident, which reportedly took place in the school toilet on August 13, came to light when the parents of one of the girls noticed a change in her behavior.
The girl, still in shock, refused to go to school or use the restroom. The family initially suspected a urinary tract infection but then learned about a similar incident involving a classmate. The classmate’s father, a friend of the girl’s grandfather, shared that his daughter had reported a “dada” (elder brother) misbehaving with her. This prompted the family to seek medical testing for their daughter as well.
The test results, indicating sexual assault, confirmed their worst fears. The family then revealed that they had previously alerted the class teacher to the arrested accused’s “misconduct” days before the incident, but she had disregarded their concerns. The family also questioned the school’s lack of supervision during bathroom breaks, especially considering the distance between the restrooms and classrooms.
The incident sparked widespread outrage and protests. Angry parents and local citizens gathered outside the school and staged a “rail roko” protest at the railway station, blocking local train traffic for several hours.
Following the outcry, the school management suspended the principal, a class teacher, and a female attendant. The state government also ordered the suspension of three police officers, including a senior police inspector, for alleged dereliction of duty in investigating the case.
The accused, Akshay Shinde, 23, was arrested on August 17. The family of the victim and other concerned citizens are demanding justice and stricter measures to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
