Congress has alleged that one of the suspects is a former office bearer of the local BJP unit, and accused the state government of “protecting criminals” in Champawat – Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami’s constituency.
A minor girl who had left home for her friend’s wedding was allegedly kidnapped and gangraped by three men in Uttarakhand’s Champawat. Congress has alleged that one of the suspects is a former office bearer of the local BJP unit, and accused the state government of “protecting criminals” in Champawat – Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami’s constituency.
The police said they received a call on the 112 helpline on May 6 that a minor girl, who had gone to attend a friend’s wedding in a village in the district on May 5, had not returned home. A police team was immediately dispatched to the spot, and a search operation was launched. “After searching the area, the girl was found near a dairy, and she alleged that she was raped by three men. She was taken to the hospital, and a medical examination was conducted on her,” Champawat Superintendent of Police Rekha Yadav said.
An FIR has been registered against three men on the complaint of the father of the child under sections of the POCSO Act. One of the accused is a former office bearer of the local BJP unit. The police said that an investigation is underway and arrests will be made after the inquiry.
During preliminary questioning, the minor alleged that she had been sexually assaulted by multiple persons. She was subsequently taken to the district hospital for medical examination and treatment.
Police said the crime scene was secured and evidence collection was carried out, with the field unit gathering forensic material. Given the seriousness of the case, Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel, along with local police, have been deployed, and both technical and manual evidence collection is underway.
The Congress slammed the BJP, accusing the government of protecting the criminals. Congress state president Ganesh Godiyal said it will be unfortunate if the accused evades the law. The BJP has yet to issue a statement.
“In such heinous cases, any kind of delay or protection is not only an injustice but also a serious threat to society. There is no one above the law. The victim should be the highest priority,” Godiyal said.
