Nashik tense after teenage boy tries to rape 5-yr-old girl

Nashik, Oct 9: A teenage boy allegedly tried to rape a five-year-old girl near Trimbakeshwar in Nashik which led 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 near Trimbakeshwar in the district yesterday, Nashik Superintendent of Police Ankush Shinde said today.

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 woman doctor.

The enraged people gathered at several places this morning also and damaged three police vehicles, including the car of Special IG, Nashik Range, Vinaykumar Choube, when 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 Mumbai-Agra National Highway today where later extra police force was deployed and the routes cleared.

Some angry people also observed bandh at Ojhar town in the district against the incident. 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 said a rape attempt was made on her by the boy and said 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.

PTI