Badlapur sexual assault: Court extends police custody of accused till Aug 26

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A local court on Wednesday extended till August 26 the police custody of the man arrested for allegedly sexually abusing two girls at a school in Badlapur town of Maharashtra's Thane district, reported news agency PTI.

The accused in Badlapur sexual assault case, who was employed as an attendant at the school where the incident took place last week, was produced before a magistrate at Kalyan in the district this morning amid tight police security, reported PTI.

IN PHOTOS: Railway commuters witness huge rush at stations as people protest against Badlapur sexual assault

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The court ordered the extension of his police custody till August 26, following which he was taken away by the police in a van, a senior official said.

The police had arrested the accused on August 17, reported PTI.

As per the complaint, he abused two kindergarten girls in the toilet of the school, the police have said.

A massive protest broke out on Tuesday after parents of the school children and local citizens blocked railway tracks at Badlapur station and ransacked a local school building to protest against the Badlapur sexual assault incident and to demand strict punishment for the accused, reported PTI.

Following the protest, the Maharashtra government announced formation of a special investigation team (SIT) headed by senior IPS officer Arti Singh to probe the Badlapur sexual assault incident, reported PTI.

Internet services in Badlapur town have been suspended in the wake of the protest and violence.

At least 25 police personnel were injured in stone-pelting at the railway station and other parts of Badlapur on Tuesday and the police have arrested at least 72 persons in connection with the violence.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde claimed that the protest at Badlapur in Thane district over the alleged sexual abuse of two kindergarten girls was politically motivated and aimed at maligning the state government.

He also said that the majority of protesters were outsiders.

Talking to reporters, Shinde targeted the opposition and said those doing politics over the incident should be ashamed.

"The protest was politically motivated because the protesters were not local residents. The local residents who were part of the protest could be counted on fingers," he said.

He said state minister Girish Mahajan agreed to all demands of the protestors but they were still not ready to relent.

"This means they just wanted to malign the government," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)