4-Year-Old Assaulted In Badlapur School Van; Driver Arrested

A day after a 4-year-old girl, a student of a private English medium school, was allegedly sexually assaulted by her school van driver inside the vehicle in Badlapur, the Kalyan Regional Transport Office (RTO) has said that the vehicle used for the crime was found to be operating without a valid permit or fitness certificate. Priyanka Damle, Deputy Chairperson and Education Committee Head of the Badlapur Municipal Council, also alleged that the school in question is operating unauthorisedly.

Attack During Van Ride
On January 22, the victim, a nursery student at a private school in Badlapur (West), was heading home after school hours in a van. According to police sources, the driver took advantage of the absence of a female attendant – a mandatory safety requirement – to assault the child. Panic struck the parents when the girl failed to reach home on time. After a frantic search and inquiries at the school, the child eventually returned home in a traumatised state and narrated the ordeal to her mother. The parents immediately rushed to the Badlapur West police station to lodge a formal complaint.

Public Outrage Erupts
The incident has sparked massive outrage in the area, leading to protests and the van being vandalised by an angry mob. Heavy police deployment remains in the area to prevent any further law and order situations. Additionally, residents also held a protest outside the police station, claiming that private van operators continue to flout rules with the tacit approval of school authorities.

Driver Arrested, Court Action
The accused driver was arrested on Thursday, and the special POCSO court in Kalyan on Friday remanded the 32-year-old accused to police custody until January 27.

RTO Penalises Van Owner
Taking immediate cognisance, the RTO has cancelled the vehicle’s registration and slapped a fine of Rs24,000 on the van owner. Officials confirmed that the vehicle lacked the mandatory safety features prescribed under the ‘School Bus Policy,’ including a female attendant.

Political Accusations Arise
The case has taken a political turn, with Priyanka Damle, Deputy Chairperson and head of the Education Committee of the Badlapur Municipal Council, alleging that the English medium school in question is operating unauthorisedly.

Demand For Strict Action
“There are zero safety measures for children in this institution. We are seeking a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to demand stringent action against the school administration for their criminal negligence,” Damle stated.

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Legal Proceedings Underway
Advocate M Pandey, representing the victim’s family, informed the media that the police sought maximum custody to investigate if the accused was involved in prior offences and to reconstruct the crime scene. “The court has granted custody till January 27. We will push for a fast-track trial to ensure the victim gets justice speedily,” Pandey said.

Echoes of Past Crimes
This tragedy comes nearly 1.5 years after the infamous Badlapur school case, where a cleaning staffer, Akshay Shinde, assaulted two minor girls. That case led to a massive public uprising and a complete shutdown of the city, eventually ending in Shinde’s death in a police shootout. The recurrence of such a crime has left parents questioning if anything has truly changed regarding the safety of children in the city. The accused is expected to be produced in court today. Heavy police deployment remains in the area to prevent any further law and order situations.

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