Youths harass girl, throw lit cigarettes at her

 Four youths, one of whom was said to be son of a senior Samajwadi Party leader, on Tuesday sexually harassed a girl here and threw burning cigarettes at her, when she raised an alarm. 

All the culprits were later arrested.

Police sources here said the girl was on her way back home when she was intercepted by four youths on an SUV not far from Kalidas Marg, where Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has his official residence.

They followed her and also passed lewd comments in full public view, sources said. Though it was broad daylight and there were people on the roads, yet none dared to raise a voice against them, reports said.

Some eyewitnesses said one of the youths got down from the vehicle and tried to catch her. The girl raised an alarm following which the youths threw burning cigarettes on her before speeding away.

A few traffic cops, who were there, informed police.

A police car later traced the SUV near Mohanlal Ganj, on the outskirts of the state capital. The four were nabbed after a chase.

“We have registered a case of molestation and an investigation is on,” a police officer said.

The vehicle, which had an SP flag on its bonnet, has also been seized.

Though police refused to elaborate on the identity of the accused persons, sources said at least one of them was son of a senior SP leader.

It was not immediately known if the girl had suffered burns.

Incidents of crime against  women have been on the rise in the state and despite Akhilesh Yadav’s assurance, police have failed to check such cases.