The police is posted in the village, the girl has been recovered and the abductor is in police custody: IGP | Photo courtesy: Kamir

When the Semra village of Khandauli area in Agra, Uttar Pradesh was burning in communal fire, the Khandauli police was busy serving as security detail of Deputy Chief Minister Dr Dinesh Sharma on his Agra visit. By the time the police reached the village, over a dozen shops had been set ablaze and several shopkeepers in the market were left injured, with one in a serious condition.

Despite so much violence, not even a single rioter has been arrested by the police. The intelligence unit of the police is unable to trace the whereabouts of anyone involved in the violence.

According to the available information, a Class 9 student of Semra village in Khandauli was abducted by a youth of another community who was in love with her. When the news spread in the village, a crowd of over 250 villagers from the girl's community attacked the shops and houses of the boy's community - spreading terror in the entire village.

Intelligence unit of police is unable to trace whereabouts of anyone involved in violence | Photo courtesy: Kamir

Even though there was some police force present at the Khandauli police station, the police personnel refused to go to the spot to control the tension.

The girl's family filed a complaint of abduction against three youths - Abid, Danish and Qais. Although the girl and the youth who took her have been recovered safely by the police late in the night.

There is significant tension in area despite the girl's recovery.

SSP Bablu Srivastava told India Today that the girl and the boy are being interrogated. "If the Khandauli police had listened to the complaint of the girl's family earlier, this violence could have been avoided," SSP Bablu Srivastava said.

Inspector-General of Police A Satish Ganesh, who had reached the spot and controlled the situation, said that the situation has been defused. "The police is posted in the village, the girl has been recovered and the abductor is in police custody. If it is proved that the police personnel at the Khandauli police station were responsible for the outbreak of this violence, they will not be spared," A Satish Ganesh said.

SP former city president Raisuddin said that when violence erupted in Mantola area of Agra on July 2, 2019, the SHO, CO and SSP were immediately transferred. "The incident that took place in Semra is identical to what happened in Mantola. The rioters even beat up media persons. Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma was present in the city and he did not go to the site of the riots to assess the situation, which was quite shameful," Raisuddin said.