SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, March 10: Hundreds of irate villagers have been blocking the Bokaro- Ranchi main road (NH-33) since morning at Petarwar, around 38.7 km away from Bokaro district headquarters, demanding arresting of all the accused of gangrape of a Dalit minor girl.
The police had to resort to mild lathi-charge to clear the blockade and gherao of Petarwar police station. But their pressure tactics failed to deter the agitators demanding suspension of the Petarwar police station officer in-charge and handing over the arrested accused to the public.
Till 2 p.m., the road blockade by people continued.
Though Bermo SDPO Satish Chandra Jha, under whom the region falls, assured the irate mob of transferring the officer in-charge to another police station, the villagers did not relent.
Seeing the situation going out of control, the additional police force of Petarwar, Jaridih and Kasmar police station were deployed on the spot.
The police official said that the incident happened on Wednesday evening.
The victim girl, a plus-2 student, had gone to school that day. When she did not return till evening, her father informed the Petarwar police station about her being missing.
In the evening at around 8 p.m., villagers caught two youths carrying her on the bike in an unconscious condition towards the girl’s house.
When they intercepted them, the youths began fleeing. The villagers caught them and handed them over to the police. The victim was admitted to Bokaro Sadar hospital.
After getting the information about gang rape, the villagers became irate and blocked the NH-33 after surrounding the Petarwar police station. Giridih MP Chandra Prakash Choudhary also visited the hospital to see the girl.
“Since the girl was unconscious in hospital, her statement could not be recorded. After recording her statement, the police would initiate further action,” said SDPO Jha.
Police have taken the two youths in custody but villagers claimed that about 10 youths were involved in the crime and their agitation will not stop till all are arrested.
