Badlapur Sexual Assault Case: Main accused sent to 14-day judicial custody

The main accused in the sexual assault case of two schoolchildren in Maharashtra's Badlpur, Akshay Shinde, was sent to 14 days of judicial custody by a local Maharashtra court on Monday.

The accused, who worked as an attendant, was arrested on August 17 for allegedly sexually molesting two 4-year-old girl students inside the toilet of a school in Badlapur town in Maharashtra's Thane district. A local court had earlier sent him to police custody till August 26.



A massive protest broke as a reaction to the incident after parents of the school children and local citizens blocked railway tracks at Badlapur station and ransacked a local school building to protest against the incident and to demand strict punishment for the accused.

Following the protest, the Maharashtra government had announced formation of a special investigation team (SIT) headed by senior IPS officer Arti Singh to probe the incident. Internet services in Badlapur town were also suspended in the wake of the protest and violence.

At least 25 police personnel were injured in stone-pelting at the railway station and other parts of Badlapur on Tuesday and the police have arrested at least 72 persons in connection with the violence.

SIT later registered an FIR against the school authorities, for not complying with the provisions of section 19 of the POCSO Act which mandates that every authority when they come to know about any such kind of sexual assault against minors are obligated to report this to police authorities for further action.

The police were not informed by the school authorities and that is why the school authorities have been booked under section 21 of the POCSO Act which is punishment for violation of section 19 of the same Act, stated SIT.