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Opposition parties, led by the Congress, staged protests crossed Uttarakhand connected Thursday (May 7, 2026) implicit the alleged pack rape of a 16-year-old Class 10 pupil successful Champawat, accusing the BJP authorities of failing to guarantee women’s information and alleging links betwixt the accused and the ruling party. Police gave cleanable chit to accused citing ‘conspiracy’ which is nether investigation.
In Dehradun, Congress spokesperson Garima Dasauni led a protestation astatine Yamuna Colony, wherever demonstrators burnt an effigy of the State government. She alleged that women and girls were unsafe nether the BJP regime.
Youth Congress person Ritesh Chhetri said the incidental had erstwhile again “shamed Devbhoomi”, drafting parallels with the 2022 Ankita Bhandari execution case. He noted that the alleged transgression took spot successful Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s constituency and questioned the authorities of women’s information successful Uttarakhand.
Protests were besides held by Suraj Seva Dal successful Dehradun, portion activists and civilian rights groups organised rallies successful Srinagar (Pauri Garhwal). Demonstrations were besides reported from Bageshwar and Uttarkashi.
The Opposition cited earlier cases involving BJP functionaries. In September 2024, BJP person Mukesh Bora was booked for allegedly exploiting a pistillate connected the committedness of a imperishable job. In June 2024, BJP OBC Morcha person Aditya Raj Saini was expelled from the enactment aft being booked successful a pack rape and execution lawsuit involving a 13-year-old miss successful Haridwar.
BJP spokesperson could not beryllium contacted for reaction.
According to the police, the subsister of Champwat lawsuit had gone to be a friend’s mehndi ceremonial connected May 5 erstwhile she was allegedly assaulted by 3 persons. Her household has named a BJP section ellipse vice-president, a erstwhile colony head, and a pupil successful the FIR. The ailment alleged that the miss was confined successful a country with her hands and feet tied aft the assault. She aboriginal contacted her household astir 1:30 a.m., aft which villagers informed the police. Authorities subsequently rescued her.
Champawat SSP Rekha Yadav connected Thursday (May 7, 2026) held a property league and stated that investigations recovered ‘conspiracy’ to framework the named accused.
“Considering the seriousness and sensitivity of the matter, a 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to analyse the case. Medical introspection reportedly recovered nary wide outer oregon interior injuries, signs of struggle, oregon grounds of force. Statements of immoderate witnesses did not lucifer method and circumstantial evidence, raising doubts astir the alleged series of events,” said the SSP.
She added that the named persons, Vinod Singh Rawat, Naveen Singh Rawat, and Pooran Singh Rawat, were not recovered to beryllium contiguous astatine the country during the alleged incident. Witness statements and method grounds allegedly confirmed their absence.
