Nanital: 12-year-old Hindu girl raped by 76-year-old Usman, Hindu groups call bandh- Details
On the evening of Wednesday, 30th April, protests broke out in the Mallital neighborhood of Nainital, Uttarakhand, following the rape of a 12-year-old girl by an old man named Usman. He has been indicted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Usman was brought before the court and has been placed in judicial custody. The victim was taken to BD Pandey Hospital for a medical evaluation.
Meanwhile, the administration is not only pursuing legal action against Usman who has been arrested, but is also preparing to take measures against his illegal constructions. A notice has been placed at the accused’s residence by the municipal administration for the impending demolition.
“It has come to notice during the joint inspection conducted today, dated 01-05-2025, by the team comprising the Municipal Council / Police Administration / Revenue Department / District Development Authority, that you have encroached upon land belonging to the Municipality / Forest Department, which is against the rules and constitutes a violation of the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Municipalities Act, 1916. Therefore, through this notice, you are hereby informed to ensure the removal of the said encroachment at your own level within 03 days. If you wish to present your side in this matter, make sure to do so within the same 03-day period. Failure to comply will result in legal/punitive action as per the rules, for which you alone shall be held fully responsible,” the official letter stated.
On the other hand, massive demonstrations erupted throughout the hill town of Nainital. On 1st April, there was complete shutdown in Nanital. Colleges, shops, street sellers and rickshaw services stayed closed in protest from Tallital to Mallital. As a safety measure, multiple schools were closed. A demonstration organized by Hindu organizations in Mallital drew thousands of participants. Multiple Hindu organizations also gathered around the local police station on the night of 30th April.
Bharatiya Janata Party city president Nitin Karki, along with members of Shri Ram Seva Dal and other Hindu outfits, marched to the Kotwali police station and protested there. They complained that certain elements of a specific community in the city were harboring antisocial individuals and accused the police of showing leniency in taking action against them. The enraged crowd stated that a close relative of the accused is a doctor at BD Pandey Hospital, raising concerns about possible tampering or bias.
However, the police intervened to placate the situation. When certain individuals hurled stones at a religious site, the police deployed their vehicle to obstruct the assault.
Protesters have called for the accused to face severe penalties, including the seizure of their property. They also demanded the identification and expulsion of any foreign nationals living illegally, as well as verification efforts for all outsiders, particularly tenants and temporary employees from a particular community. The agitators yelling anti-Pakistan slogans allegedly broke window panes in nearby homes and damaged cars by throwing stones at them.
Senior officials including Superintendent of Police (City) Jagdish Chandra, pacified the situation and assured the demonstrators that the offender would face harsh punishment. A few stores owned by members of a specific community were vandalized and stones were hurled. Cops did lathi-charge to control the situation. The administration dispatched more police personnel from other districts when a fight broke out between two sides during the demonstration.
“We have kept the accused under tight security in view of the mob’s unrest after taking him into custody. The medical examination of the accused is being conducted,” senior official stated. Officials are diligently observing social media platforms to curb the dissemination of false information.
“On Wednesday, we received a complaint from the minor girl’s family that she was raped by Usman, who is a building contractor and lives in their neighbourhood, in his car by luring her with some money. According to the family, the incident took place on 12th April. The minor girl lives with relatives and her mother lives in Sambhal of Uttar Pradesh. She told her mother about the incident on Wednesday. We immediately registered the FIR on the complaint and arrested the accused,” Jagdish Chandra informed.
He added, “As locals came to know about the crime, they first gathered at the Mallital police station. They then pelted stones at shops belonging to the Muslim community in Gaadi Padav area and beat up some men. The stones were also pelted at the gate and walls of the Jama Masjid. We brought the situation under control at around 12:30 am and dispersed the crowd. We are gathering visuals of the individuals who were part of the crowd, involved in stone pelting. We will also take action against them after their identification.”
The horrific incident has also severely hurt the city’s tourism industry. Numerous travelers have shortened their vacations due to the increasing instability and widespread hotel cancellations have been recorded. There was a significant police presence across the city to maintain the peace. Officials acknowledged that the situation remains tense but under control and they have stationed security officers at important locations throughout the town.
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