Jalgaon: Violence Erupts In Bodwad Over Suspected Sexual Assault Of Minor Girl

Jalgaon: In Bodwad town, an angry mob went on a rampage, vandalising property, pelting stones and torching vehicles after suspecting a private coaching class operator of sexually assaulting a minor female student. As the situation threatened to spiral out of control, police had to resort to tear gas and a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. The situation was brought under control following the deployment of a large police force, and Superintendent of Police Shrikant Dhivare is monitoring the developments.

The suspect, a resident of Jamthi in Bodwad taluka, runs private coaching classes in Bodwad for students from Classes 5 to 12. On Wednesday evening, the operator allegedly engaged in obscene behaviour and made inappropriate demands of a minor girl, forcibly making her sit in his car.

Some youths spotted the pair in the car, and a mob, enraged by the suspicion that the girl was being sexually assaulted, vandalised the coaching centre and the vehicle. They subsequently proceeded to the operator's native village, Jamthi, where they allegedly engaged in arson and stone-pelting, causing damage to vehicles.

As the mob remained aggressive and unmanageable late into the night, police fired tear gas shells and conducted a mild lathi-charge. Additional police reinforcements were summoned to Bodwad as a precautionary measure.

Peace has reportedly been restored in the area, and police have stated that a case is being registered against the coaching class operator under the POCSO Act.