Minor girl allegedly raped in Nainital, triggers communal violence with stone pelting on mosque

Nainital is on edge following the arrest of a 73-year-old man, Mohammad Usman, accused of raping a 12-year-old girl. The alleged incident, which occurred on April 12th but came to light on Wednesday, has sparked widespread anger and protests in the popular hill station. According to the First Information Report (FIR), Usman reportedly lured the victim with ₹200 and offered her a ride home after she was returning from the market. It is alleged that he then raped her at knifepoint. The girl subsequently narrated the ordeal to her family, leading to the filing of a police complaint.

The revelation of the crime ignited immediate protests by members of the Hindu community, who took to the streets demanding swift and stringent action against the accused. These protests intensified on Thursday, with reports indicating that workers from a right-wing organization threw stones at a local mosque and assaulted some members of the Muslim community. Several shops in the vicinity were also vandalized during the unrest.

Tensions further escalated when a large crowd of protesters gathered at the local police station, accusing the authorities of negligence and a delayed response to the serious allegations. Scuffles reportedly broke out between the protesters and the police. While some disturbances were reported in other parts of the hill station, the police intervened to de-escalate the situations. In response to the escalating tensions, heavy security forces have been deployed across Nainital. The residence of the accused, Mohammad Usman, has been barricaded by the police to prevent any potential attacks by the protestors.

Adding another layer to the situation, the Nainital Municipal Council has served a notice to the accused, Usman, regarding alleged illegal encroachment on municipal or forest land. The notice demands the removal of the encroachment within three days, failing which legal action will be initiated by the administrative body.