Badlapur sexual abuse case: Court extends police custody of accused till 26 Aug

A local court on Wednesday, 21 August extended till 26 August the police custody of the man arrested for allegedly sexually abusing two girls at a school in Badlapur town of Maharashtra's Thane district.

The accused, who was employed as an attendant at the school where the incident took place last week, was produced before a magistrate this morning amid tight police security.

The court ordered the extension of his police custody till 26 August, following which he was taken away by the police in a van, a senior official said.

The police had arrested the accused on 17 August.

As per the complaint, he abused two kindergarten girls in the toilet of the school, the police have said.

A massive protest broke out on Tuesday, 20 August after parents of the school children and local citizens blocked railway tracks at Badlapur station and ransacked a local school building to protest against the incident and to demand strict punishment for the accused.

Following the protest, the Maharashtra government announced formation of a special investigation team (SIT) headed by senior IPS officer Arti Singh to probe the incident.

Internet services in Badlapur town have been suspended in the wake of the protest and violence.

At least 25 police personnel were injured in stone-pelting at the railway station and other parts of Badlapur on Tuesday and the police have arrested at least 72 persons in connection with the violence.