AGRA: A day after an 11-year-old Hindu girl was allegedly dragged behind a temple by unidentified students from a nearby madrassa in an attempt to sexually assault her, senior BJP leaders, along with VHP members, held a mahapanchayat in Runakta, 20 km from Agra, and demanded that the madrassa be closed and the culprits arrested. With hundreds of villagers, both Hindus and Muslims, shouting in support, police sought seven days to take action in the matter.

A huge contingent of cops has remained deployed in Runakta since Tuesday afternoon after the incident was reported. The police, which has already sealed the village boundary and even the madrassa , has been asked to remain alert to avoid any untoward situation.

However, cops, who had assumed that the matter was under control, went into a tizzy on Wednesday morning when hundreds of villagers, both Hindus and Muslims, sat together for a mahapanchyat led by leaders from the BJP and VHP. The mahapanchyat was also joined by several senior Muslim leaders and BSP MLA Thakur Suraj Pal.

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Furious villagers demanded immediate arrest of the accused who had left the 11-year-old in a state of shock. BJP and VHP leaders, on the other hand, laid emphasis on the closure of the madrassa.

"If the madrassa boys have attempted to assault the girl, it should be closed," said Mohd Agaz , a local Muslim leader. Abdul Mannan, head of the madrassa, added that he will cooperate with the police. "If the madrassa students have committed the crime, action will be taken against them," he said.

Talking to TOI, BJP district president Ashok Rana said, "A terrorist arrested by Rajasthan police last week told cops that he stayed in this madrassa for a week. Not even a single student of this institution hails from Agra or nearby cities. All the students, as per their attendance register, hail from West Bengal and Assam. Madrassas are meant to teach local students. Doesn’t Agra have Muslim kids? Then why do they admit only outsiders? This is suspicious," he said.

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On Tuesday, after the assault attempt on the girl, cops had called in several boys of the madrassa for an identification parade.

"Local leaders from both Hindu and Muslim communities have given a memorandum demanding closure or shifting of the madrassa from the village. We are investigating the matter. The accused will be arrested soon," said SP (city) RK Singh.