New Delhi: In Maharashtras Thane district, police resorted to a lathi-charge on protestors who had blocked the railway tracks in Badlapur for several hours on Monday. The protest was sparked by the alleged sexual abuse of two four-year-old girls by a 23-year-old school cleaner. The demonstrators, demanding swift justice, sat on the tracks, disrupting train services from 10:10 AM.Clashes erupt as police disperse crowdAs the situation escalated, police in anti-riot gear were deployed to disperse the crowd. Visuals from the scene, shared by ANI, showed officers lathi-charging the protestors, who retaliated by pelting stones at the police. The intense clash led to the dispersal of the crowd, and the tracks were finally cleared by 6:15 pm, allowing train operations to resume.#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, 2024Ravindra Shisve, Commissioner of the Government Railway Police (GRP), confirmed the clearance, stating, The track has been cleared, and a report will be sent to the Railways to ensure operations can be resumed.Political reactions and condemnationsThe police action has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders. Priyanka Chaturvedi of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) condemned the lathi-charge, suggesting that it was ordered by the government. In a strongly-worded post on X (formerly Twitter), she said, Lathi charged for asking for justice. Lathi charged for saying enough is enough. Lathi charged for asking our daughters to be safe. Not the police force I have known, I have trusted, I have believed in. Has to come from the government in charge.#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.Visuals… pic.twitter.com/jVUcCr6wQ8— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2024Governments response to incidentIn response to the incident, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, ordered the suspension of three police personnel for the initial delay in lodging the First Information Report (FIR). Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also announced that the accused would face trial in a fast-track court, promising swift justice for the victims.
