Badlapur Sexual Abuse Case: The Bombay High Court has taken suo motu (on its own) 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.

The government has ordered the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) headed by senior IPS officer Arti Singh to probe into the alleged sexual assault of the KG girl students. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has also assured action against the school, adding that the case will be fast-tracked and the guilty won’t be spared.

While the school management has suspended the principal, a class teacher, and a female attendant, over the incident, 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.

The opposition parties have alleged that the parents of the girls were made to wait for 11 hours at Badlapur police station before the officials took note of their complaints.