A crowd in Udaipur, Rajasthan, vandalized buses and police vehicles while protesting the alleged rape of an eight-year-old girl.
Police has arrested the accused, under the POCSO Act and 38 other individuals for the disturbance.
A large crowd in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district turned violent on Monday while protesting at a local police station, which demanded justice for an eight-year-old girl allegedly raped the previous evening.
The unrest led to the vandalism of buses, police vehicles, and district administration vehicles, requiring additional police forces to restore calm.
According to Indian Express, the incident took place on Sunday around 7:30 pm when the girl went to a field near her village. A police officer stated that the accused, identified as Ramlal, forcibly took her to nearby bushes, raped her, and threatened her not to tell anyone. The girl after returning home, recounted the ordeal to her parents, and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Her family promptly reported the crime to the police, who registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
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Ramlal fled the area after the assault but was arrested on Monday after police tracked him using CCTV footage.
On Monday morning, around 10 am, a large group of villagers gathered at the police station to demand swift and strict action against the accused. Indian Express reported that tensions escalated when a rumour spread among the crowd that the girl had died during treatment.
This misinformation provoked the villagers, who began pelting stones at police personnel, setting fire to approximately 10 police vehicles, vandalising buses passing on a nearby road, and blocking the roadway.
The situation grew volatile, prompting authorities to deploy personnel from three nearby police stations to quell the unrest. Police arrested 38 individuals in connection with the disturbance. The situation is now under control, and the police and district administration are continuing their investigation.
