Internet services have been restored in Badlapur, located in the Thane district of Maharashtra, following their suspension due to escalating tensions in the town. The unrest was sparked by the sexual assault of two kindergarten girls, aged three and four, allegedly by a school sweeper. In response to the incident, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has announced plans to send a team to Badlapur to conduct an inquiry.
Train services on the Ambernath-Karjat section have also resumed after being halted for 10 hours, as protesters staged a rail roko demonstration at Badlapur railway station.
According to police reports, the two young girls were sexually abused in a school toilet on August 13. The incident was brought to light when one of the victims disclosed the details to her parents on August 16. The accused, Akshay Shinde, was arrested on August 17.
Earlier on Tuesday, thousands of people gathered at Badlapur railway station to protest, leading to the diversion of 12 express and mail trains, partial cancellation of 30 local trains, and the rerouting of some long-distance trains.
The protests escalated into violence, with stones being thrown and public property, including the school, being vandalized. Police eventually dispersed the crowd after nine hours by using lathicharge to clear the railway tracks.
