A horrific incident involving the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl has triggered widespread outrage, market shutdowns, and intense standoffs between protesters and law enforcement in Dehradun.
The incident took place late Wednesday night under the jurisdiction of the Nagar Kotwali police station, where the victim’s family resides in a rented apartment. According to the police complaint filed by the victim’s mother, the minor had gone to use a rooftop toilet on the building’s second floor. When she failed to return after a considerable amount of time, her mother went upstairs to investigate. The traumatized girl then revealed that her landlord’s nephew had dragged her inside the restroom and assaulted her.
Escalate to Public Outrage
As news of the assault spread through the community on Thursday, tension quickly escalated. Local residents, alongside members of right-wing organizations and traders’ bodies, swarmed the Nagar Kotwali police station to demand the immediate arrest of the perpetrator.
The demonstration led to:
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Heated confrontations between activists and police personnel.
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Forced closures of markets across the busy Paltan Bazaar area.
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Mass demonstrations with protestors raising slogans against the local police administration for accountability.
Legal Action and Investigation
Authorities have moved swiftly to register a formal case against the accused. Circle Officer (City) Swapnil Muyal confirmed that the police have invoked strict legal provisions under both the new penal code and child protection laws.
Case Details: The accused has been booked under Sections 65(1) and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), alongside Sections 3 and 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Officer Muyal assured the public that dedicated police teams are currently conducting raids and making every effort to apprehend the absconding suspect.
