Enraged at 8-year-old’s rape, residents of Rajasthan village vandalise buses, police vehicles

A police officer said, “The girl had gone to a field on Sunday evening, at around 7.30 pm. The accused person then forcefully took the girl to the nearby bushes, where he allegedly raped her and then threatened her not to tell anyone. The girl, however, went back home and told her parents about the ordeal. Then the family went to the police station, and the girl was admitted to the hospital.”

After the incident, the accused, who police identified as one Ramlal, had fled the area, but was arrested on Monday after police tracked him through CCTV cameras. A case has been filed under the POCSO Act.

On Monday morning, at around 10 am, a large number of villagers reached the local police station and demanded action against the accused. Police sources said that while a peaceful discussion was being held with the gathered villagers, someone spread a rumour that the girl had died during treatment. “This agitated the crowd, and they pelted stones at police personnel and set fire to around 10 police vehicles. The crowd got agitated and started vandalising buses passing through a nearby road and then blocked the road,” a police source said.

Additional police force was deployed in the area from other nearby police stations. Subsequently, police arrested 38 people in connection with the disturbances.

The situation is now under control, and the administration is continuing with the investigation, officials said.