Badlapur residents on Tuesday occupied railway tracks in a protest lasting nearly nine hours against the alleged sexual assault of two toddlers at a local school. This was the first time in recent memory that such a large disruption occurred over a non-railway issue. The protesters began occupying the tracks at 10.10 am and the line was given clearance at 6.15 pm after all the protesters were removed by 5.50 pm.

Railway officials said due to the public agitation at Badlapur, local train services were affected between Ambernath and Karjat on both the Up and Down lines. Services beyond Ambernath remained shut leading to the cancellation of nearly 42 services till 5 pm and the diversion of 24 mail express trains via the Panvel-Karjat route. The Kolhapur-bound Koyna Express was reversed from Badlapur, back to Thane and taken out of Mumbai via the Diva, Panvel and Karjat route. Additional state transport buses were arranged for passengers.