By Our Staff Reporter
Nainital, 6 May: Public anger continues to persist after the rape of a 12-year-old Hindu girl in Nainital by an aged civil contractor named Usman. Today, Hindu organisations staged protests, demanding the demolition of the house of the accused 65-year-old contractor Mohammed Usman, and his execution. In response, heavy police deployment has been done across the city to maintain law and order. It may also be recalled that while the government had ordered demolition of the house of Usman, the Nainital High Court has stayed the government’s order on technical grounds.
Meanwhile, the High Court heard the case today also, keeping the stay intact. The security forces remain on high alert as police attempted to control the protests by setting up barricades at multiple locations. Nainital SSP Prahlad Narayan Meena was present at the scene, overseeing the situation. In addition to an increased police presence, paramilitary forces have also been deployed to prevent any escalation of unrest.
This morning, members of Hindu organisations first assembled at Naina Devi temple, where they recited Hanuman Chalisa before marching in a protest procession across the city. Tensions escalated when protesters attempted to push past police barricades.
Usman has since been arrested and sent to jail. Despite this, protests persist, with demonstrators demanding further action, including the demolition of the accused’s residence.
The outrage has spread beyond Nainital, with opposition to the incident emerging across Uttarakhand. Yesterday, Nainital’s social and religious organisation Anjuman Islamia announced a boycott of the accused and his family, declaring that they would not be permitted to enter the mosque.
The High Court held a hearing today in this case. During the hearing, the division bench of Chief Justice G Narender and Justice Alok Mehra continued the stay order on the demolition.
Furthermore, the court directed the SSP, Nainital, to personally review the case every week and submit a progress report of the action taken during the next hearing, which is scheduled for August 5th, three months later. SSP Meena appeared before the court via video conferencing during the hearing. He informed the court that peace and order is being maintained in the city and that the investigation into the case is ongoing. He also stated that in addition to POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, sections of the SC/ST Act have also been invoked against the accused as the victim belongs to the Scheduled Caste. Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation submitted its response, stating that following the court’s order, the notice issued for vacating the illegal house has been withdrawn.
