Bombay High Court calls for thorough investigation into school attack case

The Bombay High Court has directed the police to conduct a thorough investigation into a sexual assault case involving two teenage girls at a school in Badlapur, Maharashtra, and stressed that the process should not be rushed due to public pressure.

During the hearing, Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan stressed the importance of teaching boys to respect girls. The court took cognizance of the incident on its own initiative and stressed the need for a comprehensive investigation. It condemned the inadequate initial investigation by the local police.

The top court criticised the stereotypical manner in which the case diary was maintained and asked the SIT to ensure that every step of the investigation is properly documented. Further, the court called for a gender-neutral approach to security in schools and recommended retired IPS officer Meeran Borwankar and a retired Supreme Court judge for a committee to look into security measures.

(With contributions from agencies.)