Badlapur sexual assault: School fully reopens, but students, parents struggle to cope with aftermath

Students and parents seen at the school gates, on Thursday. Pic/Anurag Ahire

At first glance, the Badlapur school seems to have returned to normal, with children seen playing and guards chatting at the entrance. But, beneath this facade, a palpable tension lingers. Since the horrific events of August 12 and 13, when a school sweeper sexually assaulted two four-year-old girls, the community has been shaken. The school's slow response and the absence of its principal and key trustees have left both students and parents feeling uneasy. As the campus tries to resume its routines, a shared sentiment echoes through the halls: "It's not the same."

The incident that rattled this peaceful school campus in Badlapur's Kulgaon area has left deep scars. On August 12 and 13, a school sweeper sexually assaulted two four-year-old girls. The response from the school, marked by delays in registering an FIR, only fuelled outrage within the community. Anger reached a boiling point on August 20, as parents and locals gathered in large numbers to protest outside the police station and at Badlapur railway station, demanding justice and accountability. This led to stone pelting and disruption of traffic movements and rail services for hours.

Students on the Badlapur school's premises. Pics/Anurag Ahire

Today, the school is in uneasy limbo, with the principal and key trustees absent since the scandal. Over 10 days ago, accused Akshay Shinde was shot dead by police in self-defence. Recently, two trustees - the president and secretary - were detained for allegedly mishandling the situation, leaving the school scrambling to restore order.

As mid-day visits the campus, a sense of unease lingers. Though students are back in class and the rhythms of school life seem to be resuming, the atmosphere feels far from normal. Parents are apprehensive, unsure whether the steps taken by government authorities will prevent future incidents. Teachers, too, feel the weight of responsibility. One teacher, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "We're trying our best to move forward, but it's difficult without clear leadership. The administrator heads the school, but it feels different now." The absence of the school's principal and the uncertainty surrounding the trust's leadership have left a vacuum, as described by the teachers.

Parents express their concerns over the management of the school and the safety of their children. Many are waiting for stronger assurances that such a tragedy won't be repeated. The August 20 protests that erupted were a clear indication that the community's patience had run out.

"It wasn't just the crime that shook us, it was the delay in the school's response. As parents, we were left in the dark for too long. We had heard of one or two incidents even before, but they didn't come to light, and we brushed them aside as rumours. What happened in August, and the way it was handled, made us think it could have been our child too," said a parent who came to pick up her daughter from school on Thursday afternoon.

The Kulgaon school, once prestigious, now faces a steep path to recovery without its leaders and under intense parental scrutiny. "We need to rebuild trust, not just in the school, but in the system that is supposed to protect our children. I worry every day before dropping my kids off. What happened to those little girls could have happened to any of our children. CCTV is fine, but rebuilding trust is hard," said a concerned parent.

Another parent shared, "We trusted the school management, even after hearing about the incident. Initially, we believed it was the cleaning staff who was responsible. But later, as more stories emerged about how things were handled - and the attempts to cover it up - it became more concerning. What shocked us even more was learning that the CCTV cameras weren't working when the incident occurred. We always held the school in high regard. One of my children graduated from here, and another is still studying. But this one incident completely changed how we feel about the school and its management."

For now, the children continue attending classes, playing in the playground, and following their routines. But behind the scenes, the school is struggling to heal from the traumatic events of August. Whether it can regain the trust of its community remains uncertain. "I love my school, but my mom told me not to speak much to any staff at the school. She said not to go into the toilet or classroom alone when no one else is around. This is how she believes I can protect myself," said a student from the school's Marathi medium section.

A security staff member at the school's entrance, who has worked there for over 10 years, said, "I know as a parent how difficult this is, but all we can do as staff is work hard to reassure them that their children are safe. What happened will not happen again; we'll make sure of it."

The state government appointed Kunda Pandit, deputy education officer of Thane, as administrator, along with two advisors - Vishwanath Patil, a nearby school principal, and Raj Kumar Jatkar, a group education officer - to oversee the school during the investigation.

Vishwanath Patil told mid-day: "The education of 8,024 students, from nursery to Class XII, became a critical issue after the incident. We worked hard to bridge the gap with angry, distrusting parents by meeting them personally, and we've started seeing positive changes."

Patil added, "Immediate issues like broken property were addressed, CCTV cameras were activated, and missing iron grills and signboards were installed. We aimed to restore peace on campus. Many exams have since been conducted." On parents' concerns, he said: "Their fears are valid, given the trauma. But their support has been encouraging, helping ensure the school's smooth functioning."