Police lathi-charge BJYM members protesting against Bhilwara incident

Jaipur: Police on Saturday lathi-charged members of the BJP's youth wing as they tried to march towards the Rajasthan chief minister's residence here in protest against the rape and murder of a minor girl in Bhilwara district.

Several protestors including Ankit Chechi - the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha's newly appointed state president - were detained as they approached the Civil Lines area.

Police had placed barricades in the prohibited area but the BJYM activists tried to scale them following which police resorted to the cane-charge, officials said.

The BJYM workers were taken to Sodala police station where they started protesting again. They were then taken to Vidhyadhar Nagar police station.

Chechi led the protest to 'gherao' Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence on the Bhilwara incident soon after taking charge at the BJP office here in the presence of the party's state president CP Joshi.

A 14-year-old girl was allegedly killed and later burned in a coal furnace in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district on Wednesday. Locals claimed she was gang raped too. Police have arrested four people, including the main accused, and detained a minor in connection with the case.

Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore condemned the police action against BJYM protesters.

“The barbaric lathi-charge by the police on BJYM State President Ankit Chechi and workers and taking them into custody is a sickening attempt to suppress the voice of the youth. I strongly condemn it.

"No matter how hard the Congress government tries, it will not be able to suppress the voice of the youth. Rajasthan will not tolerate lathi-charge on youth,” he said.

MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore alleged that while criminals are roaming freely after committing crimes, youth were facing brutal police action in the state.

"The government can never succeed in suppressing the voice of the youth. Rajasthan will not tolerate lathi-charge on youth,” he said.