UP: 2 youths accused of raping minor held after encounter
Jhansi (UP) (PTI): Police here have arrested two accused following an encounter in connection with the rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl, an official said on Sunday.
Additional Superintendent of Police Preeti Singh said that on April 7, the body of the minor girl was recovered from a well at a village in Jhansi district. The girl had gone missing on April 2.
Singh further said that in their probe, two youngsters, Shailendra Ahirwar and Thakurdas Raikwar, emerged as suspects in the case.
Acting on inputs received on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, a joint team of police and the SWAT unit attempted to intercept the accused, who were bike-borne, in the Uldan police station area.
In response, the youths opened fire on the police team using country-made pistols, following which the police fired in self-defence.
In the retaliatory fire, the accused sustained gunshot injuries on their legs and were subsequently arrested, Singh said.
The additional superintendent of police also informed that during interrogation, the accused confessed that they had raped the 17-year-old girl on April 2.
The duo also admitted that, fearing arrest, they strangled the girl and disposed of her body by throwing it into a well.
Both the injured accused have been admitted to a hospital, and they are undergoing treatment, the police officer said, adding that the probe is underway.
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MP: Protest over Dhoudan dam continues for eighth day, work stalled
Chhatarpur (MP) (PTI): Tribals displaced due to the proposed Dhoudan dam under the ambitious Ken-Betwa river-linking project in Madhya Pradesh continued their protest for the eighth consecutive day on Sunday, halting work at the site.
Villagers affected by the project in Panna district, including Majhgawan and Runj, remained stationed at the construction site pressing for their demands.
Protesters have been demanding a compensation package of Rs 12.5 lakh for displaced families, similar to what they claim has been sought for those affected by other dams in the region.
Panna Additional Collector Alok Marko and SDM Satish Nagvanshi reached the protest site during the day and held detailed discussions with the agitators.
The officials said that the compensation had been disbursed in accordance with government guidelines and the land acquisition law.
"In the Runj project, 99 per cent payment has been completed, while more than 90 per cent compensation has been paid in villages affected by the Ken-Betwa project, including Kateri, Baleta, Gadra and Koni. If any name has been left out, we are ready to conduct a fresh survey based on documents," Nagvanshi said.
The administration had taken along a representative of the displaced persons to provide photocopies of records, he said.
Protesters are demanding that the earlier compensation package of Rs 5 lakh for Majhgawan and Vishramganj dams be increased to Rs 12.5 lakh, at par with that of the Dhodan dam displaced persons. The administration, however, has termed the demand "policy-wise impossible", as the relevant awards had been passed years ago.
Social activist Amit Bhatnagar, who is leading the agitation, rejected the administration's claims, alleging that only 60 per cent of the affected people have received compensation and there are major discrepancies.
"If gram sabhas and procedures have been conducted constitutionally, we will end the protest, but we will not part with even an inch of land through unconstitutional means," he said.
As the protest site falls within the core area of the Panna Tiger Reserve, the administration has tightened security arrangements.
Collector Parth Jaiswal appealed to the protesters to maintain law and order in the restricted zone of the tiger reserve and resolve the issue through dialogue.
He added that a survey is underway, and no eligible person will be deprived of compensation.
A team of doctors arrived at the site to examine the protesters, who were camping there with essential supplies, but returned without conducting check-ups.
