Shopkeeper Arrested for Sexual Assault in Himachal Pradesh

A shopkeeper in Chopal, Himachal Pradesh, was arrested for sexually assaulting 11 minor girls. The school girls reported the harassment, leading to a police complaint and the subsequent arrest of the accused. The shopkeeper, with a prior murder conviction, was arrested in Ghanati near Shimla.

In a shocking case from Chopal, Himachal Pradesh, a shopkeeper was taken into custody on charges of sexual assault involving 11 minor girls. The victims, ranging from middle to high school students, accused the individual of inappropriate touching and harassment during their visits to his shop. Following this, the school's administration promptly lodged a complaint, resulting in the police action on Wednesday.

Shimla Superintendent of Police, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, confirmed that the suspect, identified as Satya Prakash, was intercepted in Ghanati after fleeing from Chopal. He has been booked under Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Notably, this is not his first brush with the law, as he has a prior conviction for murder.

BJP leader Chetan Bragata has expressed grave concerns over the incident, urging for stringent measures against the offender. He highlighted that such criminal activities in dev bhoomi (land of the gods) Himachal signal a worrying decline in the state's law and order situation.