Badlapur school case: Protesters reject govt appeal to withdraw 'rail roko'

Protests at Badlapur railway station in Thane district against the alleged sexual abuse of two girl students of a kindergarten continued even after six hours on Tuesday as the crowd, including several women, refused to heed pleas of the state government to allow the passage of trains.

State cabinet minister Girish Mahajan tried to pacify the protesters in the afternoon who responded with slogans like "justice" for the victim girls and capital punishment for the arrested accused.

Mahajan's appeal to vacate the train tracks was met with the chanting of "hang, hang" by demonstrators.

Mahajan, a close aide of Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, said police officials who allegedly failed to address the complaints of the parents of the victim girls have been suspended.

"The state government has expressed deep concern regarding the (sexual abuse) incident. The accused person will face the most severe punishment," Mahajan said.

He said common citizens are suffering because of the rail roko prote