Youth accused of molestation drowns after falling into pond during scuffle with girl's family

They said he drowned because he could not get out, whereas the girls family has accused Jasim of issuing threats and alleged that earlier too he had been involved in similar cases of molestation.His body was recovered from the pond at around 10 pm and sent for postmortem, police said.

A youth, who had fallen into a pond during a scuffle between rival groups over the alleged molestation of a girl in the Kotwali area here, has drowned, police said on Wednesday.

The body of the youth identified as Jasim (23) was fished out two hours later with the help of divers and has been sent for postmortem examination, Superintendent of Police (SP) Dinesh Kumar Singh said.

He said a fight broke out between two parties on Tuesday night over the alleged molestation of a girl in the Kewadi village of the Kotwali area here during which the youth fell into a nearby pond. Police said after returning from school on Tuesday afternoon the girl had complained to her family members that Jasim had molested her.

At night an altercation took place between the youth and the girl's family outside the village. Soon people armed with lathis and brickbats came face to face from both sides. The situation became serious as those involved in the incident belonged to different communities, police said.

In the meanwhile, the family members of the youth vandalised the girl's house following which senior officials rushed to the spot with police personnel, they said. Jasim's family has alleged that the opposite party threw him into the pond after beating him and also pelted stones at him. They said he drowned because he could not get out, whereas the girl's family has accused Jasim of issuing threats and alleged that earlier too he had been involved in similar cases of molestation.

His body was recovered from the pond at around 10 pm and sent for postmortem, police said. On the complaint of his father, police have registered a case of murder against four of the girl's relatives and detained seven other people.

A police force has been deployed as a precautionary measure in the village, officials added.

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