'Sex abuse' protests spread in Rajasthan; cafe owner held in Karnataka

AJMER/BHILWARA/JAIPUR: Protests over alleged sexual exploitation of at least six minor girls in Rajasthan's Bijayanagar and Tonk have snowballed to other areas. Kishangarh witnessed a complete shutdown Friday, while Ajmer is set to follow suit Saturday.

It is alleged that five Class X girls were filmed in compromising situations, blackmailed and sexually exploited in Beawar's Bijaynagar town over a period of time. Allegations of forced religious conversion and coercion into reciting the Kalma and observing fasts were also made by the girls. Three FIRs were filed over this on Feb 15 and 16. In Tonk, a 14-year-old girl was blackmailed and exploited by six individuals, including five minors, over a period of one and a half years before her father filed an FIR on Feb 15.

The investigation in these FIRs has led to the arrests of 10 adults and three minors so far.

The latest arrest in the Bijaynagar case was reported late Thursday. Sanwarmal Jat, a restaurant owner accused of providing his cafe for alleged abuse of schoolgirls, was held in Bengaluru. Deputy SP Masuda Sajjan Singh said Jat's restaurant was used as a meeting point for the accused, where the victims were abused and filmed.

In the Tonk case, one of the accused, identified as Nihal Akram, befriended the girl on Instagram and then filmed her in compromising positions. This triggered a chain of sexual exploitation, with six more boys, mostly teenagers, exploiting her in cafes, cars, and buildings.

Kishangarh, known for its marble industry, came to a standstill during the bandh Friday over the abuse cases in Bijaynagar. In Ajmer, businesses, transport and markets are expected to remain closed Saturday after over 100 trade associations extended support for the bandh.