50 suspects arrested in Dehradun after riots over molestation of girl in shop – The Week

Dehradun, Sept 10 (PTI) – Police on Tuesday arrested 50 suspects from Paltan Bazar area in a crackdown that was launched following tensions between traders of two communities over allegations that an employee of a shoe shop sexually assaulted a girl recently.
Senior Superintendent of Police Ajai Singh said the operation was to verify the identity of those coming from outside the state to work in shops or set up stalls with handcarts to sell various goods in the Paltan Bazar area.
After the operation, 50 people were arrested and taken to the police station, the SSP said. The traders were asked to fully cooperate with the police during the operation.
On September 7, a girl went to a shoe shop in Paltan Bazar, where she was allegedly harassed by an employee while he was showing her shoes.
She returned home and complained to her parents, who together with neighbors went to the police station and filed a report.
Based on the complaint, the police immediately registered a case under Section 74/75 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and arrested the accused named Umer (24).
Umer originally hails from Budgera village in Kiratpur area of ​​Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh.
A community closed its shops in Paltan Bazar on Monday in protest against the alleged ill-treatment of the accused.
Out of anger, people from other communities also closed their businesses, thereby pointing out the safety of women.
This led to tensions in the market and required the deployment of massive police forces.
Dehradun District Magistrate Savin Bansal and Chief Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh held a meeting with traders from both communities to pacify them.
Recently, tensions lasted for several days in Nandanagar in Chamoli district over alleged “obscene gestures” by a barber from another community towards a minor girl.
In Rudraprayag district, over half a dozen villages put up signs at their entrances reading “No entry for non-Hindus”. However, after police intervention, the text on these signs was changed to “No entry for outsiders”. The objectionable signs were removed on Monday.
Reacting to the incidents, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said strict action would be taken against criminal elements trying to disturb social harmony and peace in Uttarakhand.
“The people of this state are peace-loving. If people with criminal tendencies come here from outside and cause unrest, it will not be tolerated,” he warned.
The Prime Minister said a large-scale verification campaign would be carried out to identify such criminal elements.
“Justice will take its course. We will take strict action against criminals,” he said.