Uttarakhand’s revered temple, Kainchi Dham, witnessed widespread protests on Sunday after two police constables deployed on duty allegedly molested the daughter of a local homestay’s manager, police said.

As per police, the incident surfaced just a day before the shrine’s annual foundation day celebrations, in light of which, a fair would be held, and the accused cops were deployed on duty to oversee crowd management, as well as other management at the fair. Residents and traders have vented outrage over the incident, raising fresh concerns over security arrangements ahead of one of the state’s largest religious gatherings. 

Family alleges misconduct by cops

According to the victim woman’s father, the incident took place when his two daughters were returning from the temple premises. He alleged that the accused policemen, who had been staying at a nearby homestay during their deployment, misbehaved with one of the young women. 

He also claimed that both the cops appeared to be heavily drunk at the time of the alleged incident. As the news spread rapidly through the area, angry locals intervened swiftly. Residents reportedly apprehended the accused duo, bashed them up and brought them to a nearby police outpost, where a large crowd gathered, demanding action. 

Senior police officials order probe

After the unrest, senior police officials rushed to the scene to restore order and take stock of the situation. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Nainital, Manjunath TC, acknowledged the incident and termed the allegations ‘serious.’ He assured of strict action if the charges against the alleged accused were substantiated and promised a fair probe. 

Local reports claim that medical examinations conducted on the accused constables allegedly indicated alcohol consumption. Authorities are now about to register a case against the cops as part of the ongoing probe. 

Notably, the foundation day celebrations are observed every year at Kainchi Dham on June 15, which attract lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad. The incident has cast a shadow over preparations for the highly anticipated religious gathering and has prompted questions about crowd management, as well as the conduct of law enforcement personnel.