Badlapur sexual assault: Child rights commission highlights lapses by school

Mumbai: In a detailed 50-page report submitted to the state government regarding the Badlapur school sexual assault case, the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has highlighted several serious issues, including the failure of the school management to act within 48 hours after the parents of the two four-year-old survivors reported the incident.
According to the commission’s findings, the school principal informed the management about one of the incidents on August 14, but the authorities did not engage with parents for two days. HT had reported about this on August 22.
The report also stated that even though the management was made aware of the second case on August 16, when the parents approached the school with the police and a political party worker, the authorities failed to take cognisance of the first case and approach the police, which led to a delay in criminal action.
Sources in Mantralaya said the report highlighted the school’s negligence in filing an FIR against the accused. It also identified multiple lapses in the school, such as the girls’ washroom being in an isolated area away from the staff room, and the pathway leading to classrooms not being covered by CCTV. The report stated that the accused, a cleaning staff member, and other employees were seen walking around the school premises without any identification cards.
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The report also highlighted the school management’s failure to comply with several safety guidelines for students, including insufficient CCTV cameras on the premises.
Sources further revealed that the report was submitted to state education minister Deepak Kesarkar on Friday. A copy will soon be provided to chief minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.
State forms another committee
The state government on Friday formed a committee under the chairmanship of Women and Child Development Commissioner Dr Prashant Naranvare tasked with proposing additional measures to improve children’s safety in schools.
Kesarkar, who held a meeting with Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare and other department officials, said, “This committee should immediately listen to the suggestions of NGOs working in the fields of citizens’ rights and education, and female students and propose additional measures. All schools should be connected to the commissionerate. At least one interactive TV should be provided to every school, and students should be trained through it. This training should be included as a fun Saturday activity, teaching students to recognise good and bad touch.”
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Tatkare added that the government plans to include good-touch-bad-touch lessons in the curriculum, which will be taught through animated films.
Meanwhile, Kesarkar informed that his department suspended the Thane district education officer, Balasaheb Rakshe, for not reporting the Badlapur incident on time. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s education officer, Rajesh Kankal, was also suspended for not installing CCTV cameras in civic schools in the city.
“I have been following up on this issue for two years and, even now, work is in process and cameras are yet to be installed,” Kesarkar said. The BMC plans to install 2,832 CCTV cameras in 123 schools.