Badlapur Sexual Assault: 300 FIRS registered, Over 40 arrested after massive protest led to lathi charge and stone-pelting

Badlapur Sexual Assault Case: Over 40 arrested, FIR against 300 in Badlapur protest over sexual assault; heightened security, internet shutdown, court appearance scheduled.

Maharashtra Police has arrested more than 40 people and registered FIR against 300 people following the massive protest over the alleged sexual assault of two minor girls in Badlapur, which led to stone-pelting, disruption of train services and lathi-charge on Tuesday. (August 20, 2024).

The arrested people will be presented in court on Wednesday (August 21, 2024). Maharashtra police have also heightened the security at the railway station as police personnel have been deployed to ensure there is no repetition of Tuesday's outbreak. At least 17 city police personnel and around eight railway cops were injured in the incidents of stone-pelting at the railway station and other parts of Badlapur during the protest on Tuesday and the investigators have arrested 72 persons in connection with the violence, they said.

Internet services have been shut down in Badlapur and shops are ordered to remain closed. DCP, GRP of Railway Police Manoj Patil said that the situation is normal now. "The situation is normal now. Railway movement is also normal. No section has been imposed. Internet services will be suspended for a few days so that rumours do not spread." Manoj Patil said.

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Talking to PTI, DCP Sudhakar Pathare said on Wednesday that internet services in the town have been suspended in the wake of the protest and subsequent violence. “The internet services will be restored after reviewing the situation in the town,” he said. Most schools in the town remained shut on Wednesday, local people said.

On Tuesday, police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the protestors gathered at the Badlapur railway station after the demonstrators blocked the railway track, causing a halt in local trains. As protestors blocked the track 12 mail express trains were diverted and 30 local trains were partially cancelled.

However, the railway service, after 10 hours of halt, resumed late at night after the police dispersed the protestors. Speaking to the media, Government Railway Police (GRP) Commissioner Ravindra Shisve said, "The track has been cleared and the report will be sent to the railway operations to ensure that the operations can be started. "The alleged sexual assault of two fourth-grade girls in Badlapur, Maharashtra by a school attended has sparked outrage. On August 17 police arrested an attendant for allegedly abusing the girls.