Thane School Case Live Updates: Bombay high court slams Badlapur police, says you took action only after public outcry

Thane School Case Live Updates: The Bombay high court has taken suo motu cognisance of the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-old girls at a school in Badlapur town of Maharashtra's Thane district. A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan will take up the matter for hearing on Thursday. The alleged sexual assault of the two kindergarten students by a male attendant had sparked a massive protest in Badlapur on Tuesday. The authorities on Wednesday suspended internet services in the town. Police said they have arrested 72 persons in connection with the violence during the stir. The male attendant, who was arrested on August 17, allegedly assaulted the kids in the school's toilet. A local court on Wednesday extended his police custody till August 26. Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde had on Wednesday claimed that the protest at Badlapur was politically motivated and aimed at maligning the state government. He also said that the majority of protesters were outsiders. Angry parents of the school children and locals staged a massive protest at Badlapur railway station on Tuesday after two girls were allegedly sexually abused by an attendant hired by the school authorities. Hundreds of irate parents and local citizens blocked the path of trains to draw the administration's attention to their demands. The protest has affected the movement of trains on Up and Down routes since around 8am. On August 17, the police arrested the school attendant at the school for allegedly abusing two girls studying in the kindergarten, aged three and four years. As per the complaint, he abused the girls in the toilet of the school. Taking note of the incident, CM Eknath Shinde said he has directed the police that the accused be booked under the attempt to rape charge. He also said that the case will be fast-tracked and a special public prosecutor will be appointed for the case. Meanwhile Shinde's deputy Devendra Fadnavis said that a special investigation team (SIT) headed by inspector general Aarti Singh will probe the incident. Stay with TOI for all the latest updates: