‘Harassment’ of girl triggers to communal clash in Bareilly village; accused at large

Three youths — identified as Majid, Sajid and Faheem who work as labourers — have been booked under charges of molestation and relevant sections of the Protection of Children Sexual Offences Act, said the station house officer of a police station concerned. Police were carrying out raids to trace the accused.

In a second FIR, one Himanshu and two unidentified persons have been booked on the attempt to murder charge.

Revealing the sequence of events, police said when the girl was returning from school, the three youths, in their 20s, passed lewd remarks and tried to get hold of her hand near her house.

After she told her parents about the incident, the family reached the house of one of the accused, who denied the allegation, police said. After intervention of villagers, the girl’s family, dependent on agriculture, decided to return home. On their way, the family spotted the three youths. Seeing the commotion, members of both communities gathered there. The altercation soon turned ugly and the two groups clashed with each other, police said. The situation was brought under control when a police team used mild force to disperse the crowd. A boy playing in the area suffered a pellet injury and is undergoing treatment at a hospital. Police said his condition was stable.