Badlapur Sexual Assault: Maharashtra Schools Ordered To Install CCTVs, Complaint Boxes; HC Hearing Begins| Updates

The Bombay high Court on Thursday began hearing of the violent protests over the sexual assault of two four-year-old kids in a school in Thane’s Badlapur town. The court took suo motu cognisance of the matter on Wednesday.

A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan is hearing the matter.

The Maharashtra government has also issued a set of directives to all the schools in the state mandating to install CCTV cameras and complaint boxes on their premises within a month. The decision came in wake of the horrific crime.

“All private schools in the state are required to comply with new guidelines from the department, mandating the installation of CCTV cameras at appropriate locations within school premises. Failure to comply may result in actions such as withholding financial grants or revocation of the school’s operating permit,” the order said.

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Here are the latest updates on the case:

• The police have said that they would record the statements of accused Akshay Shinde under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) on Thursday.
• Justice Dere noted that the second victim’s statements haven’t been recorded yet. She asked the AG to inform on next date why there was a delay to record her statements. “This is such a serious offence. Two girls sexually assaulted, how can the police not take the issue seriously. We would want to know what steps you are taking to ensure security of school girls. Security and safety of girls cannot be compromised at all,” Live Law quoted the justice.
• Justice Chavan lambasted the administration and said that until there is a strong outburst, the police don’t probe the case seriously. “It has become a common thing now. Unless there is a strong outburst the machinery doesn’t work. Do you want to say that unless people don’t come on the streets probe will not be carried seriously,” he said.
• After their installation, the schools will have to periodically check the footage and if found unobjectionable, it will be the responsibility of the headmaster and school management to take further action, the order said.
• State Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar has said that the failure to comply with the order may result in severe consequences such as revocation of the permission to operate the institution among others.
• The state government’s school education department has instructed school managements to conduct thorough background checks of all employees with the assistance of the local police station. Schools should provide the local police station the details and photographs of their employees.
• The department has mandated for schools to appoint women employees on a priority basis for students up to six years.
• Further, the schools have been ordered to install a complaint box and it will have to be examined if it is being used effectively. The school headmaster will be held responsible in case of lapses in this regard. The schools will also have to strictly adhere to government norms with regard to Sakhi Savitri Samiti and Vidyarthi Suraksha Samiti.
• The government has also established a state-level security review committee headed by the School Education Commissioner. The committee will have six members. The committee will meet once every three months to review various measures taken to enhance the safety of students, and submit reports to the state government periodically.
• The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition of parties including, NCP (SCP), Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress has called for a Maharashtra Bandh on August 24 as a mark of protest over the horrendous crime.
• Maharashtra DGP Rashmi Shukla on Wednesday affirmed the police force’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens by going the extra mile. In a statement posted on the official X handle @DGPMaharashtra, DGP Shukla stated that the investigation into the Badlapur case is being conducted with the utmost diligence. “We will leave no stone unturned in delivering justice to innocent children and their families,” Shukla said.
• A mob of local residents on Wednesday also attacked and vandalised the house of Akshay Shinde, the accused sweeper.According to the neighbours, the agitated mob of around 50-100 people entered the house and even attacked his family members.
• Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday claimed that the massive protests was “politically motivated” and aimed at maligning the state government. He also slammed the opposition and said those doing politics over the incident should be ashamed. The chief minister claimed that some protesters were carrying placards mentioning the ’Ladki Bahin Yojana’, his government’s flagship financial assistance scheme for women. The placards said they did not want the monthly sum of Rs 1,500 but protection for their girls.
• Internet services at Badlapur in Maharashtra’s Thane district were suspended on Wednesday a day after a massive protest over alleged sexual abuse of two kindergarten girls.
• A local court on Wednesday extended the accused Shinde’s police custody till August 26.
• Shinde has been accused of allegedly sexually abusing two four-year-old girls in the toilet of a school in Badlapur. The accused, who was working as a cleaner on contract via a third-party company, was arrested on August 17 after the girls’ parents pressed for a formal complaint despite an initial delay in filing the FIR.
• Thousands of protestors on Tuesday blocked railway tracks at Badlapur station which caused massive disruption of local train services and diversion of some long-distance trains. At least 15 outstation trains and the local train services on the Ambernath-Karjat section were suspended for ten hours, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
• The Thane Police have arrested over 70 people and registered a First Information Report (FIR) against at least 300 people for protesting and blocking railway tracks which left at least 25 police personnel, including the railway cops, injured in incidents of stone-pelting.

(With inputs from agencies)