Badlapur sexual assault case: NHRC seeks report from Maharashtra authorities

New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday demanded a detailed report from Maharashtra authorities on the incident of alleged sexual assault on two four-year-old girls in a school washroom in Thane district and the "delay" in filing an FIR in the matter.

The Commission took suo motu cognisance of the case on a day thousands of protesters blocked railway tracks at Badlapur station in Thane and stormed the local school building, where the alleged incident had occurred.

The accused, who was employed to clean the girls' toilets, is alleged to have victimised the children on August 12-13, 2024.

The NHRC has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police of Maharashtra, demanding a detailed report on the incident within two weeks.

The Commission's directive calls for clarity on the reasons behind the reported "12-hour delay" in registering the First Information Report (FIR) after the parents lodged a complaint with the police.

Parents of the victims have raised concerns over why a female staff member was not assigned to clean the girls' washroom, a standard practice that could have potentially prevented such an incident.

The Commission has emphasised the need to investigate this aspect thoroughly.

In addition to the status of the FIR, the NHRC has requested details about the health and well-being of the two victims, including whether they have received any counselling or support services from the authorities or the school management.

The NHRC has also asked for information on the measures being taken or proposed to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.