Village tense after teen attempts to sexually assault Class 8 girl, police deploy riot control squads, launch awareness drive

Nagpur: A quiet village, 100km off Nagpur in Narkhed taluka, turned tense after a 17-year-old first-year college student was caught allegedly trying to sexually assault a 13-year-old Class 8 girl inside her house late Monday.Villagers spotted the boy entering the minor's residence and immediately surrounded it. Sources said he had stalked the girl for months before befriending her in January this year. Frequent meetings followed, until Monday's incident sparked outrage.
The crowd raised slogans and demanded immediate arrest of the accused. Senior police officers rushed to the village accompanied by riot-control units to curb clashes. Though peace was restored, right-wing activists labelled the episode as ‘love jihad', forcing cops to maintain tight vigil through the night.The boy, now under Juvenile Justice Board custody, was shifted to a govt home. The girl, visibly shaken, was taken to a govt shelter home. Both families received police and child-protection guidance.On Thursday, the Narkhed court, the women and child development department, and local police will jointly hold an awareness camp. A rally will start from the court premises to the police station, followed by lectures on child rights, minor girls' protection, Pocso Act provisions, and laws against atrocities on women.Assistant police inspector Mangala Mokashe, in charge of Narkhed police station, told TOI the situation was under control. "We invoked sections of rape and Pocso Act," said Mokashe, adding Thursday's camp will focus on prevention. "We want every parent and child to know their rights."District child protection officer Mushtak Pathan stressed that rising number of Pocso cases was distressing. "Incidence of abuse of minors is becoming common. Education is the only shield," he said. The girl will appear before the child welfare committee on Thursday for further assessment.