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The two kindergarten girls, who were sexually abused by a school janitor in Maharashtra's Badlapur, have a ruptured hymen and were assaulted multiple times over the past 15 days, according to a preliminary report by a state-appointed committee.
The sexual assault of the girls, aged 3 and 4, has sparked outrage in Maharashtra's Thane district, with the school administration and police under intense scrutiny over their handling of the matter.
The two-member committee report's findings have also raised serious concerns about the handling of the case and the school administration's role.
The report points out severe shortcomings in the school administration's response to the situation. The school delayed reporting the incident, with the Principal informing the trustee on August 14, the report states, as per sources. However, school administration did not meet the parents even after the complaint.
Additionally, the hospital where the girls were treated took 12 hours to provide medical care, the report mentions.
The accused, Akshay Shinde, who began working at the school on August 1 as a contractual worker, was hired without any background checks, as per the report. His unrestricted access to all areas of the school, including female toilets, and the lack of an identity card are highlighted as major lapses in the report, as per sources.
The report suggests that Akshay Shinde may be an habitual offender and calls for further investigation into whether his hiring was influenced by an outsourced agency or recommendations.
The report further mentions that the toilet at the school is in an isolated place, far away from the staff room and that there was no proper CCTV installed for safety and security, sources said.
As per the report, the investigative officer has asked parents whether the girls had been riding bicycles for two hours, revealing a lack of sensitivity and understanding in handling such delicate cases, sources said.
