On Monday, May 20, the Aligarh police apprehended three individuals involved in the harassment and attempted forced conversion of a female Hindu student.
Reports indicate that the incident began when the victim travelled to Chharra town to take her B.Ed examination. As she was returning home, a group of miscreants started following her. These men had reportedly been harassing her for several days prior to this incident.
The victim had previously informed her uncle about the ongoing harassment, prompting her family members to accompany her to the exam centre for her safety. This temporary measure deterred the harassers for a while.
However, on Monday, the perpetrators resumed their harassment, following the student to her home and causing a commotion outside. They even attempted to pull off her dupatta in a brazen act of intimidation. According to Bharat Samachar, the assailants also tried to forcibly convert her to Islam.
The situation escalated when local residents intervened, capturing the accused and administering a public thrashing before handing them over to the police.
The news of the incident quickly spread, leading to a gathering of Hindu organisation members outside the Quarsi Police Station, where they demanded stringent action against the culprits.
In response to the incident, the Aligarh police tweeted that three individuals had been arrested in connection with the case. They assured the public that the situation was under control and that an investigation had been launched to address the matter thoroughly.
Similar case from the past
Organiser reported a similar case in 2023, where a Hindu girl lost her live after Shahbaz and aides crushed her to death.
On September 15, a minor girl from Ambedkarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, lost her life in an accident caused by street molestation. A widely circulated video showed boys on motorcycles following two girls on bicycles. One of the boys snatched the dupatta of the schoolgirl, causing her to fall. Another motorcyclist then ran over her, leading to fatal injuries.
Following the incident, the Uttar Pradesh police launched an operation and apprehended the accused, some of whom sustained bullet injuries during the encounter. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condemned the act, stating that perpetrators should be ready to face severe consequences.
The accused, identified as Shahbaz and Arbaz, sons of Jamaal from Harsamhar village, and Mohammed Faisal from Aaribpur village, were involved in the harassment and accident. Shahbaz and Arbaz snatched the dupatta, while Faisal ran over the girl.
The victim, Nancy Verma, a 17-year-old class 12 student, aspired to become a doctor. Her father, Sabhajeet Verma, expressed his grief and frustration over the lack of safety and the ongoing harassment by the accused, who also targeted other girls in the area.
An FIR was filed on September 16 at the Hanswar police station, charging the accused under several IPC sections, including those for assault and causing death by negligence. Additional charges under the POCSO Act were also included.
The police arrested the suspects the same day, based on CCTV footage. During their attempted escape, Faisal allegedly fired at the officers, resulting in gunshot injuries to Shahbaz and Faisal.
