8-year-old raped in Udaipur, outraged villagers vandalise vehicles, block highway

An 8-year-old girl was raped by a man in Udaipur while she was in the field on Sunday. The incident led to widespread outrage leading to heavy protests by villagers.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening when the girl went alone to the fields around 7:30 pm. According to police officer Hukam Singh, a man approached her, gagged her, and took her to nearby bushes, where he allegedly raped her under threat. The accused fled but was later caught by police. The girl, in distress, reached home and informed her family, who rushed her to Maharana Bhupal Hospital. Doctors said her condition is stable.

By Monday morning, large numbers of villagers had gathered at the Dabok police station demanding swift action. Protesters vandalized SDM, police, and private vehicles, as well as buses, before blocking the highway’s service road. The blockade caused long traffic jams in the area.

Police from three stations were deployed to control the tense situation, with mild force used to disperse the crowd. Officials are still trying to pacify the villagers.

Forensic teams and a dog squad collected evidence from the scene, and CCTV footage from nearby areas is being examined. Police confirmed that the accused is in custody and an investigation is underway.

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Inputs from Satish