Tell boys what is right and wrong, male domination persists, says Bombay HC during hearing on Badlapur sexual assault case

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 27 (ANI): The Bombay High Court said on Tuesday that boys need to be educated about gender equality from a young age and there is a need to bring change in their mindset. The court made the remarks during a hearing on the Badlapur sexual assault case.

The court had taken suo motu cognizance of the alleged sexual assault of two girls at a school in Badlapur.

A bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan said male dominance and chauvinism continue in society and there is a need to teach boys about right and wrong behaviour from a young age.

The Court suggested constituting a committee to study the issue and recommend rules and guidelines to be followed in schools to prevent such incidents.

The court again expressed its displeasure over the way the Badlapur Police conducted the initial investigation into the case and said that the police should have shown some sensitivity.

The court said one of the victim girls and her family were asked to come to the police station to record their statement. It said Badlapur police did not even make an attempt to record statements at their home and there has been a serious lapse in the investigation of Badlapur police.

Maharashtra Advocate General (AG) Birendra Saraf admitted the lapse and said three police officers from Badlapur police station have been suspended.

“We always talk about girls. We don’t tell boys what is right and what is wrong. We need to change the mentality of boys, teach them to respect women,” the court said.

The court said that it will hear the case on September 3 and the government should tell it about the committee by that date.

It said the committee should have a retired judge, a retired police officer, a retired principal, a woman IPS officer and a member of the Child Welfare Committee.

During the hearing, the court questioned why the victim girls were sent to the toilet with a male attendant and if the school had probed his background before recruiting him. On this, the police said that the parents of the accused are working in the same school and hence he was also hired. The accused has married thrice and the statements of his wives have been recorded.

The alleged sexual assault of two fourth-grade girls at a school in Maharashtra’s Badlapur had sparked outrage. On August 17 police arrested an attendant of the school for allegedly abusing the girls.

The state government has formed an SIT to probe the sexual assault case.