Bhopal, May 3 Madhya Pradesh Sports and Youth Welfare Minister, Vishwas Sarang, on Saturday said that those targeting Hindu girls for "love-jihad" and raping minor girls, deserve no leniency and should be "shot dead".
The Minister's remarks came a day after Farhan, the prime accused in the shocking case of sexual assault and blackmailing of girls, was shot in the leg when he tried to seize the pistol from the police.
"Those who commit heinous crime and rape minor girls should be shot dead. Such criminals are a burden on human society, and they deserve no leniency. It would have been better if the police shot him (Farhan) in his chest, instead of leg," Sarang, a senior BJP leader and MLA from Bhopal's Narela constituency, said.
Police said Farhan had told the officers to stop the vehicle on the pretext of going to the washroom. He snatched the pistol of a Sub-inspector, and during the chaos, a bullet hit him in the leg, police said.
Hemant Srivastava, police station in-charge of Bhopal's Ashoka Garden area, said the police were taking Farhan to Bilkisganj village to search for the possible hideout of another accused, Abrar, who is on the run.
"Farhan said he wanted to go to the washroom, so a Sub-Inspector and a constable got down with him. Farhan then tried to snatch the pistol from the Sub-Inspector and attempted to flee. During the chaos, a bullet was released, hitting Farhan in the leg," he said.
Farhan was a part of a gang in Bhopal that allegedly drugged, raped, and filmed several female students, and then used the footage to blackmail them.
Police registered a case on April 25 after three students from a private college came forward.
Police investigation also revealed that Farhan and his associates primarily targeted girls who had come to Bhopal from other cities to study, as these girls were less restricted in their movements.
"This made it easier for the gang to form connections and manipulate them," the police added.
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