Bhopal, Nov 28 (IANS) After the minor rape case accused was admitted for treatment at Hamida hospital to recover from a wound suffered during a police encounter in Bhopal, members of the social organisation, ‘Sanskriti Bachao Manch’, staged a protest outside the health facility.

The activists reached Hamidia hospital and shouted slogans, demanding capital punishment for the accused, Salman, who was arrested one week after he allegedly raped the victim in the Gauharganj area in Raisen district on November 21.

State convenor of ‘Sanskriti Bachao Manch’ Chandrashekhar Tiwari said, “The accused should have been killed in the police encounter. Why a short encounter?” Tiwari said, talking to IANS.

Accused Salman, alias Nazar (23), was finally arrested on Thursday night after an intense 144-hour manhunt. Salman’s capture culminated in a dramatic arrest in the capital city of Bhopal, followed by a shocking escape attempt that ended with police opening fire.

Notably, police had earlier announced a bounty of Rs 30,000 on Salman as he has been absconding since November 21. He was arrested at a tea stall near the Gandhi Nagar police station area in Bhopal late on Thursday, according to police.

Investigation revealed that he had been camping in the capital city for three days, sleeping through cold nights near an acquaintance’s house. The acquaintance, however, neither offered him shelter nor informed the police.

The final clue (about Salman’s whereabouts) came from vigilant residents. Salman, who had briefly worked at the same tea stall two years prior, was reportedly looking to rent a house in the Gandhi Nagar area but lacked ID proof.

This instantly aroused suspicion, leading residents to alert the police, who swiftly made the arrest. Shortly after the Gandhi Nagar Police handed Salman over to the Sultanganj police station in Raisen, a dramatic sequence of events unfolded.

While being transported, the accused allegedly tried to escape from police custody in a forest area. To prevent Salman’s escape, police were forced to shoot him in the leg, successfully stopping him.

Salman allegedly raped the minor on November 21. The girl was playing outside her house when he approached her, allegedly promising her chocolate, and took her into a nearby forest where he “raped” her before fleeing.

The victim was found by her family, who had begun searching after she went missing. The six-year-old girl was first taken to a government hospital, where rape was confirmed, and was subsequently referred to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal.

There has been massive public anger over the case.

Workers of another Hindu organisation rushed to the Gandhi Nagar police station upon hearing of the arrest, amidst widespread street protests demanding the death penalty for Salman.

The gravity of the situation led to an immediate high-level response from the state government.

Chief Minister Yadav ordered the immediate removal of the Raisen Superintendent of Police (SP) Pankaj Pandey, who has been attached to the headquarters.

–IANS

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