Cops hold march past in Nowgaon after crimes against women

Bhopal: After public outrage over back-to-back cases of sexual harassment of minor girls in Nowgaon, the police there are holding a march past every evening. On Wednesday, one of the accused was ostracised from his community for indulging in the crime.

About 20 men in khaki, headed by the SHO of Nowgaon police station, have been carrying out the march past in the city for the past two days. He said that the superintendent of police, Tilak Singh, has directed that the march past be held to “instill confidence” among the people who were “agitated” and feeling “insecure” after the heinous crimes. The march past would help build confidence among them, he told the local media. The march past is likely to continue for one week.

In the past one week, two incidents of crime have shaken the people of the small town, which came into prominence last week after the mercury touched 49 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest city of the country.

The two incidents also created communal tension in Nowgaon.

Exactly, one week ago, a resident of Gafoor basti, Rafiq Khan, 28, barged into the house of a neighbour. Police said that when the girl objected, he poured kerosene on her and set her ablaze.

With 90% burns, she was rushed to the hospital where she died the next day. After her death, over 300 people staged a protest. They alleged that the man was harassing the girl for the past one year.

The girl's family alleged that the SHO did not act in time, otherwise the incident could have been averted. Additional SP Jairaj Kuber has suspended the SHO, Yaqoob Khan.

On Wednesday, another man was booked after he allegedly tried to kidnap a minor from a wedding party.

“People caught the man and handed him over to the police. He was booked under the POCSO Act among other sections of the IPC,” the police said.