Tensions flared in Badlapur, Thane district, Maharashtra, on Tuesday as police resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse protestors demonstrating against the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-old girls by the school sweeper. The incident, which took place in the school washroom, has ignited widespread anger and calls for swift justice.
The protestors, many of them angry parents, had gathered at the railway station since morning, demanding immediate action against the accused. When they refused to vacate the area, police intervened with a lathi-charge, leading to clashes. Some protestors were seen pelting stones at the police. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition, with Shiv Sena leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Maharashtra Legislative Council Ambadas Danve condemning the police action.
Danve questioned the presence of BJP leader and Minister Girish Mahajan at the protest site instead of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde or Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. He accused the Maharashtra government of failing to address the issue effectively and questioned their commitment to women’s safety. He also pointed out the irony of the government promoting the ‘Ladki Bahini’ Yojana while girls are being subjected to such horrific crimes.
In response to the outrage, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) headed by senior IPS officer Arti Singh to probe the case. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has assured swift and stringent action against the accused and the school. He stated that the case will be fast-tracked and the guilty will not be spared.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray invoked the Shakti bill, a proposed legislation aimed at ensuring stricter punishments for sexual offenses, and called for swift action against the perpetrators. He criticized the current government for not passing the Shakti Bill, which was initiated during his tenure. The incident has once again brought to the fore the issue of children’s safety and the need for stronger measures to protect them from such crimes.
