<p>Hazaribagh police has launched a hunt for a senior district BJP leader who allegedly molested a minor girl and was thrashed by locals for his act, a police official said on Thursday.</p>.<p>Shankar Prasad Gupta, the 62-year-old former Hazaribagh district president of BJP is absconding since he was confronted by the victim's mother and thrashed by the locals on Wednesday, he said.</p>.<p>The police have registered a case against him under sections of the Indian Penal Code and POCSO Act.</p>.<p>It has launched a search for Gupta and raided several places, the official said. Hazaribagh superintendent of police Manoj Ratan Chauthe has ordered the officer-in-charge of Barabazar police station, Yogendra Mishra and the sub-divisional police officer (HQ) Mahesh Prajapati to arrest the accused forthwith.</p>.<p>The officer-in-charge of Barabazar police station said that the victim's mother said in her statement that Gupta, who owns a flour mill in Barabazar locality of the town, had allegedly molested the 13-year-old when she went there on October 3 to get wheat ground for the family.</p>.<p>Gupta had allegedly lured the girl and molested her. He had then given her Rs 10 and warned her not to disclose the incident to anyone.</p>.<p>The girl narrated the incident to her mother on Wednesday. The mother then rushed to the flour mill and protested against the incident.</p>.<p>A heated argument followed with Gupta denying any involvement in the incident. Locals who had gathered at the spot then caught hold of Gupta and beat him up, police said.</p>.<p>BJP leader, however, managed to free himself and fled from the scene.</p>.<p>The victim's mother then registered a case and when the police investigating team went to his house on Thursday, it found Gupta was absconding.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>
<p>Hazaribagh police has launched a hunt for a senior district BJP leader who allegedly molested a minor girl and was thrashed by locals for his act, a police official said on Thursday.</p>.<p>Shankar Prasad Gupta, the 62-year-old former Hazaribagh district president of BJP is absconding since he was confronted by the victim's mother and thrashed by the locals on Wednesday, he said.</p>.<p>The police have registered a case against him under sections of the Indian Penal Code and POCSO Act.</p>.<p>It has launched a search for Gupta and raided several places, the official said. Hazaribagh superintendent of police Manoj Ratan Chauthe has ordered the officer-in-charge of Barabazar police station, Yogendra Mishra and the sub-divisional police officer (HQ) Mahesh Prajapati to arrest the accused forthwith.</p>.<p>The officer-in-charge of Barabazar police station said that the victim's mother said in her statement that Gupta, who owns a flour mill in Barabazar locality of the town, had allegedly molested the 13-year-old when she went there on October 3 to get wheat ground for the family.</p>.<p>Gupta had allegedly lured the girl and molested her. He had then given her Rs 10 and warned her not to disclose the incident to anyone.</p>.<p>The girl narrated the incident to her mother on Wednesday. The mother then rushed to the flour mill and protested against the incident.</p>.<p>A heated argument followed with Gupta denying any involvement in the incident. Locals who had gathered at the spot then caught hold of Gupta and beat him up, police said.</p>.<p>BJP leader, however, managed to free himself and fled from the scene.</p>.<p>The victim's mother then registered a case and when the police investigating team went to his house on Thursday, it found Gupta was absconding.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>