Uttarkashi: A Hindu outfit organised protests in several towns of Uttarkashi district in Uttarakhand on Saturday to protest against a recent incident in Purola in which a youth and his accomplice made an attempt to abduct a minor girl.
The attempt to abduct the girl was foiled by locals and the accused handed over to the police but tension persists in the town and adjoining areas.
On a call by the Yamuna Valley Hindu Jagriti Sangathan, businessmen and people in general closed all markets in Barkot, Naogaon, Purola and Damta in protest against the incident. The organisation termed the incident “love jihad”.
They also took out a procession beating drums and shouting slogans against “love jihad” in all these towns.
They also submitted a memorandum to the Barkot sub-divisional magistrate demanding appropriate action against the accused.
Yamuna Valley Hindu Jagriti Sangathan president Keshav Giri Maharaj also accused traders from outside with assuming fake identities and trapping innocent daughters of the hills.
“The incidents of abduction are increasing. The incident in Purola is a recent example of this. A similar incident had also happened in Naugaon market,” he said. The protesters demanded that hundreds of outsiders roaming as scrap dealers and hawkers should be removed from the area. —PTIÂ