Minor girl gang-raped; locals hold protests in UP

Meerut: A 13-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by three youths of her locality in the Lisari gate area of the city, police said Tuesday.

The incident, which occurred on Sunday night, led to protests today by the family members of the victim and locals who alleged that police had failed to act with promptitude in the matter. The locals demanded the immediate arrest of the accused trio, identified as Shadab, Bittu and Salman, as they demonstrated outside the residence of Uttar Pradesh state minister Shahid Manzoor. The minister was, however, not home at the time. According to police, the accused had gone to the victim`s house on Sunday night when she was alone with her sister. They offered a cold drink spiked with sedatives to both girls and, after they were rendered unconscious, gangraped the elder one. When, upon hearing her elder sister`s cries, the younger one woke up and raised an alarm, the accused fled the spot. The trio is still absconding, police added. During their protest, the girl`s family alleged that police had refused to lodge an FIR in the case and was trying to suppress the matter. Locals were pacified after police officials who had arrived to talk with the protesters ensured that a case was registered against all three accused. PTI