The Masuda town in Rajasthan remains under the grip of communal tensions days after seven men were arrested over allegations of sexual assault and attempted forced conversion of a group of schoolgirls in Bijaynagar town.
The markets in Masuda town and nearby areas remained closed for the second consecutive day on Tuesday in protest against the alleged sexual assault and forced conversion, a police official said.
The police have, so far, arrested eight people, including a former ward councillor and detained three minors in connection with the case so far, Masuda DSP Sajjan Singh said.
The local municipality has sent notices to the families of the suspects for alleged encroachments, according to The Indian Express.
The tensions in the town, neighbouring capital Jaipur, surfaced on February 18 with right-wing groups holding protests for strict action against the arrested suspects.
Three FIRs were registered against 10 men based on complaints from the family members of five victims last week.
The complaints alleged that the accused contacted the minor girls through social media, gifted them Chinese mobile phones and sexually exploited them.
Meanwhile, the markets were shut on Monday in Beawar, Bijainagar, Kekdi, Masuda, Sarwad and nearby locations as various organisations took out rallies demanding strict punishment for the accused, news agency PTI said.
Some victims have also accused the men of blackmailing them into religious conversion, according to police.
Bijaipur station house officer Karan Singh said four of the accused -- Luqman, Sohail Mansoori, Ryan Mohammad and Afraz -- were produced before the court after completing their five-day police remand. The court sent them to judicial custody.
Anti-Encroachment Drive Following Tensions
The Bijainagar municipality removed encroachments at the residence of one of the accused on Monday. The administration also sealed at least two gates of a century-old graveyard, including the main gate.
The local municipality has also sent notices to family members of the accused, the Jama Masjid, and the local graveyard authorities, seeking proof of ownership of the land.
Pratap Singh Bhati, Executive officer of Bijainagar municipality, said a notice was issued to the graveyard and one of the accused.
"After scrutinising the documents, we found some encroachments, which were removed,” Bhati said.
Masuda DSP Sajjan Singh said that a former ward councillor, Hakim Qureshi, had been arrested over his alleged involvement in the case.
He was presented before a court in Kotda on Sunday evening, from where he was sent on a five-day police remand.