“No Leniency”: ABVP protests Haldwani assault case

DEHRADUN: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) held protests in Dehradun and Haldwani over the alleged sexual assault of a minor in Haldwani, demanding swift action and strict punishment for anyone found guilty.

In Dehradun, protesters burnt effigies of the accused and called for justice for the girl. ABVP said one of the four arrested, Dheeraj Bisht, had earlier been a student union candidate but currently held no post in the organisation. The group demanded a full investigation into the role of everyone named in the case, including Bisht.

ABVP Uttarakhand Secretary Yashwant Pawar said the incident was condemnable and called for an impartial inquiry. “No leniency should be shown towards anyone involved in such serious crimes,” he said, adding that ABVP would support efforts to secure justice for the victim.

Police said four people had been arrested: Bisht, Nitin Pal, Ansh Khatri and Himanshu Boni. Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police Manjunath TC said the girl’s family had filed a complaint with the police. The complaint alleged that the accused lured and pressured the minor to go to a hotel, where she was sexually assaulted through threats and intimidation.

Police registered a First Information Report. The SSP said investigators inspected the hotel and reviewed CCTV footage, which he said supported the occurrence of the incident. ABVP urged authorities to take strict legal action against anyone found guilty.