Hathras girl's rape sparks outrage; locals vandalise mosque in protest

A young man allegedly raped a seven-year-old girl in a village in Hathras district late Saturday night, leading to a violent response from a mob that vandalised a mosque in protest.

“On Saturday night, police at the Sadabad station got information about the rape of a seven-year-old when she went to a market. The girl was found near the village,” said Hathras superintendent of police (SP) Chiranjeev Nath Sinha.

#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: Hathras SP Chiranjeev Nath Sinha says, "Last night, a case was registered at Saadabad police station in connection with the rape of a minor girl... The suspect, Aman s/o Chand Khan, has been identified, and the accused has been arrested... We took him for pic.twitter.com/8t2Dc2xMjV
ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025

Agitated over the rape incident in Hathras district’s Bisawar, a mob entered a mosque and resorted to stone-pelting on Sunday, police said. “On Sunday, a group of people attempted to enter a religious site. Police reached the spot and brought the situation under control after talking to members from both communities,” informed SP Sinha.

“The girl was sent for medical assistance. She was referred to a hospital in Aligarh on Sunday morning. Adequate police and PAC personnel have been deployed in the village as well as the mosque to ensure that no untoward incident takes place,” he said.

A case was initially registered under BNS sections 135-2 (kidnapping), 115-2 (voluntarily causing hurt), 74 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), and the Pocso Act.

“The accused, Aman, was taken into custody on Sunday morning after she identified him. The accused, who hails from a nearby village in Hathras district, has been arrested,” the SP added.

According to the police, the accused seized a gun from an officer and fired at police personnel while being transported to the court. He was subsequently shot in the leg during the retaliatory firing.

“The accused was escorted for a medical examination before his court appearance. Following the examination, he requested a bathroom break, during which he seized the pistol from the outpost in-charge and fired at the police. In response, the Sadabad police station in-charge returned fire in self-defence, injuring the accused, Aman, in his right leg. He is currently receiving treatment at the Hathras District Hospital,” the SP said.