DEHRADUN: A 16-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped at gunpoint in Uttarakhand’s Champawat district, sparking a firestorm of public outrage and statewide protests.
Police have booked three individuals in connection with the heinous crime, including a former BJP office-bearer and a village pradhan, as authorities scramble to trace the absconding accused.
The incident, which has laid bare growing concerns over women's safety in the hill state, came to light after the survivor's father lodged a formal complaint at the Champawat Kotwali on Wednesday.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the victim had traveled to Champawat for medical treatment on Tuesday. While her father returned to their village, the teenager remained behind to attend a friend’s wedding. As night fell, her worried father grew alarmed when his calls to her went unanswered. A frantic, midnight search ensued involving local residents.
The victim was discovered at approximately 4:00 am, bound in a room in a nearby village. According to the police complaint, she was subjected to a brutal assault by three men who utilized a knife and a 'Basula' (an adze) to threaten her life. The assailants allegedly locked the room and fled the scene before she could be rescued.
"The accused used a knife and a 'Basula' to threaten her before committing the crime," the father stated in his complaint.
The inclusion of a former ruling party official among the accused has intensified the public reaction. By Wednesday, hundreds had gathered in Champawat, blocking roads and demanding immediate arrests and strict justice for the minor.
The outrage quickly spilled across the state. In Dehradun, activists from the Suraj Seva Dal burned an effigy of the state government near Lansdowne Chowk, while Congress workers staged a parallel demonstration at Yamuna Colony Tiraha. In Srinagar Garhwal, residents gathered at Pipalchauri, with demonstrators openly declaring that the law-and-order machinery in the state had "completely collapsed."
Champawat Superintendent of Police Rekha Yadav confirmed that a medical examination of the survivor has been conducted.
"We are awaiting the report. Once rape is confirmed, further legal action will follow," SP Yadav stated. "The case has been handed over to Sub-Inspector Priyanka Maurya. Multiple police teams have been formed and raids are currently underway to nab the accused who are absconding."
