Tensions have gripped several areas of Rajasthan after the exposure of a gang of Muslim men involved in sexual exploitation and forced conversion of minor Hindu girls. A shutdown was called on Monday (24th February)in Ajmer, Beawar and Bhilwara districts by people outraged by the crime. People have been demanding the death penalty for all the culprits involved in the crime.
11 accused and a former councillor arrested by the police
Since the victims were all minors, the police have registered a case under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. So far, 8 accused have been arrested by the police and three minors have been taken into custody. On 23rd February, the police arrested former independent councillor Hakim Qureshi. He was produced at the residence of the judge of the POCSO court in Kotda on the same day and sent on a 5-day police remand. Qureshi is accused of assisting other accused.
The accused have been identified as Rihan Mohammad (20), son of Jaan Mohammad, resident of Rajnagar Police Station area, Bijainagar, Sohail Manshuri (19), son of Anwar Hussain from Taro ka Kheda Bijainagar, Luqman alias Soheb (20), son of Mohammad Usman of Hurda Road Gulabpura, Arman Pathan (19) son of Kalu Khan, native of Rajnagar Police Station area, Bijainagar, Sahil Qureshi (19) son of Mohammad Sabir from Sajanabad Police Station area, Gulabpura. Other accused arrested by the police include Shravan (cafe operator), Karim and Aashiq, who are on a 7-day remand. The three minors have been sent to a juvenile correction home.
The gang targeted minor Hindu girls
The shocking case of sexual exploitation and blackmail of school-going girls in the Bijainagar police station area came to light on 15th February after a victim’s family approached the police. A gang of Muslim men was reportedly acting in an organised manner to target minor Hindu girls for sexual exploitation and extortion. The gang members used to follow their victims in a planned manner. Once their victims responded, they lured them by entering into relationships with them. They sexually exploited their victims and captured their obscene photos and videos to blackmail and extort money from them. Moreover, the culprits used their victims’ social media accounts to contact more girls. The victims’ families said that the girls were forcibly subjected to religious practices and pressured to convert. Notably, all of them work as labourers and none of them go to school and still, they managed to target these school-going minor girls.
One of the victims said in her statement that her hand was cut with a blade when she refused to keep Roza during Ramzaan. They were subjected to continuous sexual exploitation. The initial interrogation of the accused and statements of the victims have revealed horrifying details. The victims said that the men would come in new vehicles, including Bullet motorcycles and other cars, to take them away. One of the victims said, “They once told me that a Brahmin girl would fetch ₹20 lakh if sold, and you (a Dalit) would get ₹10 lakh.” The girls said in their statements that they were continuously blackmailed with obscene photos and videos and forced to bring in other girls.
