A tense, curfew-like atmosphere surrounded Goharganj in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district on Wednesday after a protest over the rape of a six-year-old girl turned violent. The accused, identified as Salman, is still missing, and the anger over the incident has sparked unrest in the town.
The situation began with a peaceful sit-in at a local school ground, where women, elderly people and youth gathered to demand Salman’s immediate arrest. Many demanded that police “arrest him right now” and some even called for an encounter. But things changed soon after the protest ended.
Rumours spread that Salman was being protected inside the Muslim-majority Bawli area. A group of young men then moved toward the locality, which escalated tensions. When police tried to stop them and used mild force, several youths became aggressive and began throwing stones at the police. Officers responded with tear gas shells, after which the group scattered into nearby lanes.
The violence did not stop there. Bajrang Dal members, who had organised the “Hindu Jan Akrosh Yatra,” allegedly targeted the local mosque and nearby Muslim houses, pelting stones and blaming the administration for failing to arrest the accused.
As the situation worsened, Goharganj was placed under heavy security. More than 500 personnel from six districts, along with the Quick Response Force, were deployed across the town. Streets fell silent, shops stayed shut and residents remained indoors as police declared the area a high-security zone. “The situation is under control, but we are keeping a close watch,” DIG Prashant Khare said.
Meanwhile, new CCTV videos of Salman surfaced on Wednesday. In one clip, he is seen walking on a road in a blue T-shirt, and in another, buying cigarettes from a shop. Additional SP Kamlesh Kumar Kharpuse confirmed the videos were from the Goharganj area. “He is clearly visible in the footage. Our teams are searching for him nonstop,” he said. A reward of ₹30,000 has been announced, and wanted posters have been pasted across the district.
The rape took place on November 21 in Paanjara village when the child was playing in a neighbour’s house. The incident has triggered anger, especially because the accused has remained absconding for several days. In response to the public outrage, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav transferred the Raisen SP.
Even though police say the situation is calm, the fear in Goharganj is still visible. Residents say they are staying indoors, unsure of what may happen next. Authorities continue searching for Salman, who remains on the run.
