Badlapur sexual abuse case: Planned protest at railway station, say police

A senior police officer said that printed banners and other preparedness by the mob suggests that the protest was well-planned.

They were shouting slogans against ‘Ladki Bahin Yojna’, which shows that the mob was motivated.

Ravindra Shisve, commissioner of Railway Police, said: “A case of rioting has been registered against those who stopped local train movement and 26 people have been detained. Once we scan the CCTV and establish their roles, they will be arrested.”

An official said that several WhatsApp groups were created and messages with appeals to join the protest were circulated and people started gathering at Badlapur railway station from 6 am on Tuesday.

He further said that while local trains were stopped around 10 am, around 11 am a big crowd also gathered outside the school and many protestors vandalised the school.

“At 6.10 pm the crowd was finally dispersed by the police after lathicharge amid stone pelting from protesters. We are in process of filing two rioting cases for the violent incidents that occurred outside the said school and at the Badlapur railway station. Dozens of people have been detained,” said Dyaneshwar Chavan, joint commissioner of police, Thane.