An 8-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a man named Ramlal in Udaipur’s Dabok area on Sunday evening. The incident occurred around 7:30 PM when the girl went alone to the fields, where the accused reportedly approached her, gagged her, and took her into nearby bushes, threatening her before committing the crime.

The girl returned home visibly distressed and informed her family, who immediately rushed her to Maharana Bhupal Government Hospital. Doctors confirmed her condition is stable. A case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at Dabok Police Station.

Protests Erupt: Police Vehicles Damaged

The following morning, large crowds of enraged villagers gathered outside the Dabok police station demanding justice. Tensions escalated after a rumor falsely claimed the victim had died during treatment. Protesters pelted stones, vandalized police and private vehicles, and blocked the highway’s service road, resulting in major traffic jams.

At least 10 police vehicles were damaged or torched. Police from three nearby stations were called in, and mild force was used to disperse the agitated crowd. SP Yogesh Goyal and Additional SP Anjna Sukhwal reached the scene to control the situation.

Police have identified several youths involved in the stone-pelting and registered cases against them for obstructing public duties and damaging public property.

Accused Caught Using CCTV, Probe Ongoing

Ramlal, the accused, was apprehended on Monday morning after police traced his movements through CCTV footage. Forensic teams and a dog squad visited the crime scene to collect evidence. Authorities confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and that swift justice will be ensured.

Similar cases reported

In a separate shocking incident, a six-year-old girl was raped and murdered by her uncle in Dungarpur district on August 4. The girl had gone out to study and was found dead near a pond. Police said the accused, under the influence of alcohol, raped and then killed her by hitting her with a stone. He was arrested on August 5.

In a similar incident an eight-year-old girl was allegedly raped and killed at a tea garden in Assam’s Dibrugarh district, police said on Sunday. The incident happened at a small tea garden in Kachari Pathar in Namrup police station area on Saturday when the girl was out to collect firewood, they said.

“The accused was fishing nearby when he saw the girl alone. He allegedly raped and killed her, most likely by smothering,” an officer said. The accused then concealed the body in a drain, covering it with hay and grass, he said. “When the girl did not return home, her parents along with neighbours began searching for her. They also informed the police. The body was found around 8.40 pm,” he added.