 "Rape")
A teenage boy allegedly tried to rape a five-year-old girl near Trimbakeshwar in Nashik, leading to large scale protests and tension in the district, even as Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, appealed for calm and assured that the case would be tried in a fast track court.
The 16-year-old boy, who has been taken into custody, allegedly tried to rape the minor girl at Talegaon village yesterday, Nashik Superintendent of Police, Ankush Shinde, said on October 9.
Offence has been registered against the boy under relevant sections of the IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said.
As soon as the news spread, tension gripped Talegoan as locals gathered at the police station last night demanding that the boy be booked and arrested.
The villagers staged 'rasta roko' in Wadovhare, Ghoti and Anjaneri-phata areas. Some people set tyres on fire, and also damaged a tractor in Talegaon. A group of people also protested at Nashik Civil Hospital last night and demanded that the victim be examined by a female doctor.
The enraged people gathered at several places this morning also and damaged three police vehicles, including the car of Vinaykumar Choube, Special IG, Nashik Range, while he was rushing to Talegaon today.
Police had to lob teargas shells and also fire some rounds in the air at Talegaon to disperse the mob, a rural control room official said.
People also staged 'rasta roko' on Nashik-Igatpuri road, Nashik-Aurangabad road and along the Mumbai-Agra National Highway where additional police force was deployed and routes cleared.
Some angry protestors observed a strike at Ojhar town in the district.
Maharashtra Water Resources Minister, Girish Mahajan, who is also the Guardian Minister of Nashik, visited the girl's family and termed the incident as "unfortunate". He assured that the case would be fast-tracked.
Mahajan assured that charges will be framed in the case within a fortnight and it will be heard in a fast track court. Senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam will be appointed as prosecutor in the case, he said.
No senior doctor or civil surgeon of Nashik Civil Hospital were available for comments on the issue.
Police officials have urged people to remain calm and to refrain from being carried away by rumours that are circulated on social media, adding that the police will take stern action against the guilty.
Reacting to the incident, Chief Minister Fadnavis also appealed people to stay calm and said the case would be tried in a fast track court.
"The incident involving rape attempt on a minor girl in Talegaon is very unfortunate. The accused has been arrested and the victim is in fine health. The Guardian Minister of the region Girish Mahajan has met the family of the victim," Fadnavis said in a statement issued here.
"We will ensure that the accused gets a strict of punishment and that this case is tried in a fast track court," he said.
He too requested people not believe in rumours being circulated about the incident.
