CCTVs mandatory in Maharashtra schools after Badlapur child sexual abuse

After the horrific incident of alleged sexual abuse of two school children in Badlapur in Thane district near Mumbai, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday directed all schools within the state to install CCTV cameras and complaint boxes on their premises within a month. If any school fails to comply with the order, strict actions will be taken and even its permission to operate may be revoked, as per an order issued by Maharashtra School Education Department.

“All private schools in the state are required to comply with new guidelines from the department, mandating the installation of CCTV cameras at appropriate locations within school premises. Failure to comply may result in actions such as withholding financial grants or revocation of the school’s operating permit,” states the order.

What Maharashtra schools will have to do

As per the order, the CCTV footage should be examined at least three times a week, and if anything unobjectionable is found, it will be the responsibility of the principal and school management to take further action.

Not only this, the school managements will have to conduct thorough background checks of all employees with the assistance of the local police station. Also, schools must submit details and photographs of all their employees to the local police, which will be verified by the police, as per the order.

Cabinet Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha who is also the Guardian Minister for Mumbai suburban district, has written a letter to the District Collector, requesting deployment of female staff at girls’ washrooms in schools. “The entire school premises, except for washrooms, should be brought under the surveillance of CCTV cameras….their safety and proper functioning should be regularly checked by beat marshals or patrolling police teams,” the minister said.

The state government is also planning to impart self-defence training to schools and college students within the Mumbai Suburban region and young women at all Industrial Training Institutes across Maharashtra.

Badlapur protests

On Tuesday, violent protests and rail blockade was held at Badlapur Railway Station for over eight hours against alleged sexual assault on two four-year-old girls at a city school earlier this month. The Thane police and the Government Railway Police (GRP) have registered FIRs against around 500 protesters. Till now at least 72 people have been arrested after around 25 police personnel got injured in incidents of stone-pelting at Badlapur Railway Station. FIRs have been registered by the police on charges including the violation of prohibitory orders, armed unlawful assembly, assault, and damage to public property.

Bombay High Court takes suo motu cognisance

The Bombay High Court took suo motu cognisance of the matter on Wednesday and began hearing the matter on Thursday. A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan is hearing the matter. Meanwhile, the accused in the child sexual abuse case, Akshay Shinde will be kept in Police Custory till 26th August 26 as per orders of a special POCSO court in Kalyan.