Rahul Gandhi on Badlapur sexual abuse case: 'Will we now have to protest to even register an FIR?'

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that "more efforts are made to hide crime than to provide justice" in the alleged Badlapur sexual assault case. He also wondered whether the people will have to protest to get an FIR registered in such cases.   

"After the crime against two innocent people in Badlapur, the first step to give them justice was not taken until the public came out on the streets demanding justice. Will we now have to protest to even register an FIR? Why has it become so difficult for victims to even go to the police station?"  Gandhi asked.

The Congress MP's remarks came a day after the sexual assault of two girls at a kindergarten in Badlapur in Maharashtra's Thane district sparked outrage.

In the Badlapur sexual abuse case, the cops had registered the FIR 12 hours after the victim's family filed a complaint. The Opposition slammed the ruling government in Maharashtra over the delay in police action. 

The Badlapur town virtually came to a standstill on Tuesday after thousands of protesters blocked railway tracks at the station and stormed the school building, where sexual abuse of two girls by the school sweeper took place last week. The protesters hurled stones at police personnel and vandalised the school building during the protest.

On Wednesday, internet services at Badlapur were suspended and 72 persons had been arrested in connection with the violence during the stir. 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. 

The Police on August 17 arrested an attendant at the school for sexually abusing the two girl students. As per the complaint, he abused the girls in the toilet of the school. In the wake of the incident, the school management has suspended the principal, a class teacher and a female attendant. 

The state government on Tuesday ordered the suspension of three police officials, including a senior police inspector, for alleged dereliction of duty in probing the sexual abuse of the two girls. Angry parents of the school children and local citizens, including several women, gathered outside the school on Tuesday morning and also resorted to a 'rail roko' protest at the railway station, blocking the path of local trains from around 8.30 am. 

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said he has ordered the formation of a special investigation team headed by senior IPS officer Arti Singh, while Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said action will be taken against the school. He said the case will be fast-tracked and the guilty won't be spared. 

(With inputs from PTI)