Badlapur: Police Lathi-Charge Protesters After Stones Pelted During Rail Roko Agitation, Visuals Surface
Protesters in Badlapur staged 'rail roko' agitation in response to the alleged sexual abuse of two young girls. The situation escalated when some protesters hurled stones which led to police using force to disperse the crowd.
In a tense situation at Badlapur railway station near Mumbai, police resorted to lathi-charge on Tuesday evening to disperse protesters who had staged a day-long 'rail roko' agitation. The demonstration was in response to the alleged sexual abuse of two young girls at a local kindergarten. The protest, which began at around 8:30 AM, saw hundreds of local residents, including numerous women, blocking the tracks of the Central Railway section in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Despite repeated appeals from the state government and senior police officials to end the agitation, the protesters remained steadfast in their demands, calling for capital punishment for the arrested school attendant, news agency PTI reported.
According to a police official, the situation escalated around 6 PM when some protesters began hurling stones at the railway station, PTI reported.
#WATCH | Alleged sexual assault with a girl child at a school in Badlapur | A few people were seen pelting stones at the Police at Badlapur Railway Station after the personnel resorted to lathi-charge to disperse protestors gathered here in protest over the incident.
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2024
Visuals… pic.twitter.com/jVUcCr6wQ8
The protest also led to significant police and Railway Protection Force (RPF) deployment at both the railway station and the school, which had earlier been vandalised by angry protesters.
In response, the police used force to disperse the crowd, which had severely disrupted local train services and led to the diversion of some outstation trains.
#WATCH | Maharashtra | Police resort to lathi-charge to disperse protestors gathered at Badlapur railway station to protest against alleged sexual assault with a girl student pic.twitter.com/sAUn6bKhp2
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2024
The tracks at Badlapur station were finally cleared of demonstrators after 6 PM, restoring normalcy to the area, as per PTI.
LoP in Maharashtra Legislative Council and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve condemned the lathi charge as he told news agency ANI, "This lathi-charge on protestors is wrong... Who is Girish Mahajan? Why was he here? Is he the Home Minister?... The entire Mahrashtra govt is not good, the CM, and DCMs, don't have the right to be in the govt."
#WATCH | LoP in Maharashtra Legislative Council and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve says, "This lathi-charge on protestors is wrong... Who is Girish Mahajan? Why was he here? Is he the Home Minister?... The entire Mahrashtra govt is not good, the CM, and DCMs, don't have the… https://t.co/2Fgo37RZLU pic.twitter.com/Y51ydyS3QR
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2024
The remarks come after Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan visited the protest site and attempted to assuage the protestors mentioning that SIT was formed to probe the case. Speaking to the protestors he highlighted that CM Eknath Shinde that the government was also going to take action against the school where the incident took place.
#WATCH | Alleged sexual assault with a girl child at a school in Badlapur | Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan speaks with the protesters at Badlapur Station, as they continue their protest.
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2024
CM Eknath Shinde said that an SIT has been formed in this matter and they are also… pic.twitter.com/FuOJb9NaK3
After speaking to the protestors, he also addressed the media saying, "A protest was ongoing here for the past 10 hours. We have all opposed the incident that has taken place. I have been here since this afternoon. I spoke with the agitators for an hour and also requested them to vacate the Railway track. All their demands - trial in fast track court, we appointed Ujjwal Nikam as the advocate, action against school administration, action against negligent Police officers - have been met. We too want the strictest punishment for accused. But the protesters wanted that the accused be brought before them and hanged before them. But we can't do that...There is no such law..."
#WATCH | Alleged sexual assault with a girl child at a school in Badlapur | At Badlapur Station, Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan says, "A protest was ongoing here for the past 10 hours. We have all opposed the incident that has taken place. I have been here since this… pic.twitter.com/czGsPqiERq
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2024
Badlapur Sexual Assault Case: Police Assure 'Thorough Probe', Dismiss Allegation Of 11-Hour Delay In FIR
The agitation started earlier in the day when frustrated parents and local citizens gathered outside the school, demanding justice. The crowd later moved to the railway station, where they resorted to blocking train services. Some of the protesters also damaged school property, breaking gates, window panes, benches, and doors, according to PTI's report.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone IV), Sudhakar Pathare, addressed the media, assuring that a comprehensive investigation was underway. He stated that a case had been registered against the accused, who was apprehended within three-and-a-half hours of the First Information Report (FIR) being filed. "Three police officers, including two women, are gathering all evidence to ensure a thorough probe," he said, as quoted by PTI.
Pathare also urged the residents of Badlapur to refrain from taking to the streets or engaging in further protests, emphasising that such actions could hinder the investigation process. He noted that the police administration was fully committed to addressing the case and that any agitation or bandh could obstruct the progress of the investigation, especially given the prohibitory orders in place.
Addressing the allegations of a delay in registering the FIR, the DCP clarified that the registration process began at 11:30 PM, with the accused being arrested by 3:30 AM. He explained that the complexity of gathering information from very young victims, aged between 3 and 4 years, contributed to the time required for case registration.
The clarification came as Opposition alleged that the parents of the victim were made to wait for 11 hours before they were allowed to file the FIR.
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