Shubhada Shitole, a senior police inspector previously suspended for delaying the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) in a sexual assault case involving two minors in Badlapur, has been transferred to Mumbai. Shitole, formerly in charge of Badlapur East Police Station, was overseeing the investigation of a case where two kindergarten girls were allegedly sexually assaulted by a male attendant at a school in Badlapur, near Mumbai.
The alleged incident occurred on August 12 and 13, when the accused, 23-year-old Akshay Shinde, reportedly abused the two minor girls, aged 4, in the school’s washroom between 9 am and 12 pm. The parents of the victims took them to a doctor and informed the police about the incident on August 16. Despite the seriousness of the allegations, the FIR was not filed until 9 pm that day, a delay of 11 hours.
Shinde was subsequently arrested on August 17 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. In response to the incident, the school management suspended the principal, a class teacher, and a female attendant.
Inspector Shitole, who had visited the crime scene and met with the victims, is accused of delaying the registration of the case, leading to her suspension and subsequent transfer.
The Bombay High Court expressed outrage over the handling of the case on Thursday, describing the crime as “absolutely shocking.” The court took suo motu cognisance of the case, which has triggered widespread protests and criticism over the police’s delayed response and the school’s failure to promptly report the crime.
“Such serious matters where girls as young as three and four years old have been sexually assaulted… how can the police take it so lightly?” the court questioned. “If schools are not a safe place, what is a child supposed to do? What did a three and four-year-old child do?” the bench added.
In light of the mishandling, the court directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) assigned to the case to submit the original case diary maintained by the Badlapur police, a copy of the FIR, and other relevant documents by August 27. The court’s firm stance highlights the urgent need for accountability and swift justice in cases involving crimes against children.
