Since the rape of a minor was reported to have taken place late on Monday night, residents of the city took to the streets on Tuesday to strongly protest after the news of the crime spread on social media.
Police said that an unidentified youth, riding a motorcycle, had picked up a seven-year-old girl from near her home on Monday night.
Jaipur Police Commissioner Anand Shrivastava was quoted by the Indian Express daily, as saying, “The incident happened between 7.30 and 8 p.m. (Monday) when a motorcycle-borne criminal took the girl away and dropped her near her home around two hours later. In between, he raped the girl. The girl recounted the ordeal to her parents, who then told the police and we lodged a case.”
Shrivastava said that later at least 30 vehicles were either torched or damaged during flare-ups.
The vehicles were damaged during a flare-up which occurred after news spread like wildfire on social media, in this tourist destination city just 250 km from the national capital of New Delhi.
Senior city administrative officials and police officials confirmed on Thursday, that while protests by local residents had tapered off since Monday, they continue to remain vigilant and are taking appropriate steps to restore normalcy in the capital of India’s northwestern state of Rajasthan.
Kailash Chand Verma, Divisional Commissioner of Jaipur, said that internet services will continue to remain suspended till 10 a.m. on Friday. He also confirmed earlier reports of suspension of internet services in parts of Jaipur on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Jaipur City) Manoj Kumar said police continues to be on alert to prevent any untoward incidents arising out of the rape of a minor earlier this week.
Police and personnel of the Rajasthan Armed Constabulary have been deployed in some of the more problematic localities in Jaipur, he said.
Kumar said every effort is being made to restore normalcy in Jaipur. This was also confirmed by Divisional Commissioner Verma.
Protests were particularly severe outside the hospital where the child was initially treated.
Mohan Lal Gupta, the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) district unit in Jaipur, took part in the protests. The BJP is in the opposition in the state of Rajasthan.
