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Tension gripped Meerut’s Kharkhauda and Atrada areas as members of a particular communities attacked and pelted stone at the houses of members of another community on Sunday night, over the alleged gangrape and religious conversion of a 20-year-old woman.
Police and Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel have been deployed in the area to bring the situation under control.
According to Superintendent of Police (rural) Captain M S Begh, the 20-year-old woman’s father had lodged a complaint on Sunday night at the Kharkhauda police station against village Pradhan Nawab Khan, cleric Sallaullah, his wife and daughter Nishant for abduction and rape.
The complainant alleged that Nawab along with five others abducted his daughter on July 23 and took her to a madrassa where they raped and illegally confined her. They also forcefully made her sign some papers related to religious conversion.
Begh said the woman managed to escape and returned to her house on July 30 and narrated her ordeal to her parents.
He said the woman’s medical examination has confirmed rape and cuts were found on her abdomen. He rejected media reports that the girl’s kidney had been removed.
The woman’s statement was recorded on Monday and Kharkhauda police station in-charge has been sent to line for negligence of duty in the case, Begh said.
Meerut District magistrate Pankaj Yadav said that Sallaullah, his wife and daughter have been arrested. Since the incident occurred in Hapud, he said the final decision post magisterial inquiry into the matter will be taken by the Hapud district magistrate.
A magisterial enquiry into the incident will be conducted by Deputy District Collector S P Singh, who will submit a report within a week, District Magistrate (Hapud) Rajesh Kumar Singh said.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rajesh Kumar Agarwal has said that if strict police action is not taken in the matter the party will take to the streets. Several BJP workers on Monday protested outside the commissioner’s office, led by party trader cell state chief Vineet Agarwal Sharda.
Sharda alleged that the police and state government are working under pressure of ruling SP leaders and said if culprits are not brought to book, all the traders in the state will go on strike.