Parents, Badlapur citizens protest against sexual abuse of 2 schoolkids

Badlapur (Maharashtra), Aug 20 (IANS) Amid a call for Badlapur bandh on Tuesday in Thane District, a large number of people hit the streets and also gathered at the railway tracks to protest against the sexual abuse of two four-year-old girls by a sweeper in a reputed school. The protestors, including the agitated parents, are not satisfied with merely the suspension of the school principal, class teacher, two others and a written apology from the school management.They are also demanding that the school administration guarantee the safety of the girls studying there.They also want the school authorities to hold a face to face dialogue with them, to which the school management has not yet agreed.Even though the school sweeper, who was involved in the sexual assault has been arrested, the protestors are also insisting that the school management should come forward and tender an apology publicly and are demanding strict punishment for the sweeper who was involved in the sexual abuse.DCP Sudhakar Pathare said that the police have already registered the case and the accused had been arrested in three-and-half-hours.A local court has granted the police custody of the accused. The investigation has been launched with a team of police officers who are keeping a close eye on the collection of evidence to avoid any lapses in the ongoing probe.“I appeal to the citizens of Badlapur to cooperate with the police as they are busy in the investigation of the case. The agitation or Badlapur bandh will disturb the ongoing probe. There is no permission for holding agitations or protests in the wake of prohibitory orders in place as per the Thane Police Commissioner’s directives in the commissionerate,” he added.Notwithstanding the police directive, the local residents are furious over the incident as initially, the school administration and the police tried to suppress the matter.When the parents of the victims went to the police station to file a complaint, they were detained by the woman police officer there for almost 12 hours.However, after the uproar over the matter the police swung into action.Senior Inspector Shubhada Shitole has been transferred to Thane control room after it came to light that the police had allegedly manipulated the matter.Citizens of Badlapur have called for a bandh in the city on Tuesday and they along with the parents, shouted slogans at the entrance of the school.They are not happy with the school management’s move of just scrapping the contract with the firm that supplied the cleaning staff.In its written apology the school management said, “What happened is unfortunate, despicable and reprehensible. The school management wants strict punishment to be given to the concerned employee. We have cooperated with the police.” “These are critical times for the educational institution and what happened to these little girls is unfortunate and reprehensible. The responsibility of protecting the students in the school belongs to the school and after this incident, along with the immediate dismissal of the concerned employees, the contract of the private contractor through which this employee was working in the school on a contractual basis has been canceled and blacklisted.“Also, in this case, the headmistress who is responsible for checking the CCTV of the school, in which these little girls were studying, has been suspended.“The class teacher and two supporting staff members responsible for taking the little girls to the restroom have been fired,” the school’s apology reads.–IANSsj/rad