Uneasy calm in Agra village, force deployed

■ AGRA: Uneasy calm prevailed in Semra village of this district on Wednesday after the communal flare-up on Tuesday evening.

To recall, there was a violent protest in Semra after a minor boy of the minority community was accused of kidnapping a minor girl of the other community.

The arrested accused was presented before the juvenile court on Wednesday while the minor girl was taken to court to record her statement after she returned home on Tuesday night.

PAC, SWAT and local police kept a tight vigil in Semra and senior police officials camped in the village but a case was yet to be registered against those who created ruckus on Tuesday and burnt shops to protest the kidnapping. Police assured that all legal procedures would be followed.

Communal tension had erupted in Semra village of Khandoli region in Agra district on Tuesday after a minor youth from the minority community was blamed for kidnapping a minor girl from the other community.

Hundreds of protestors gathered and targeted the house of the accused. They also set shops of the minority community on fire, following which senior police officials rushed to the village.

“Adequate police force was deployed in Semra village after the violent protest on Tuesday evening. A minor youth was accused of kidnapping a girl from the other community and

› A minor youth was accused of kidnapping a girl from the other community and a case was registered against him. A SATISH GANESH, IG (Agra range)

a case was registered against him,” informed A Satish Ganesh, inspector general of police, Agra Range.

“Both the minor girl and minor boy have returned and now focus is on restoring normalcy in the village. Teams of PAC, SWAT and local police are stationed in the village and the situation is under control. The girl was taken to court to record her statement. The accused, also a minor, was presented before the Juvenile Court and orders are awaited,” said Ravi Kumar, SP (West), Agra Rural.

When asked about action against the protestors who created ruckus in the market on Tuesday, the SP said that the priority was to restore normalcy in the village and all legal process would be followed in due course of time.

The issue was also raised before deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma when he interacted with the media at circuit house on Wednesday morning.