MEERUT: Authorities in Lakhimpur Kheri demolished the shop of a 22-year-old barber accused of raping an eight-year-old girl for nearly a week. The action came after protests erupted across the town, with several groups demanding strict action against the accused.On Wednesday, a bulldozer arrived and razed the shop that had been at the place for over a decade, with officials claiming it was built on encroached land. Heavy police force was deployed during the demolition as a large crowd gathered at the site.“Following directions from the authorities concerned, we demolished the barber shop that was illegally built on disputed land. The shop belonged to a man accused of raping a minor. Keeping in mind the widespread protest across the city over the sexual assault case, action was taken to maintain law and order,” said Vijay Bahadur Yadav, executive officer of the nagar palika.Supreme Court in Nov 2024 has said that demolishing houses and shops — commonly referred to as “bulldozer justice” — of people merely because they are accused or convicted of a crime was unconstitutional and violated the rule of law. The apex court emphasised that the executive cannot act as a judge and punish an entire family for the alleged actions of one individual.On Feb 3 this year, the Allahabad high court also observed that demolitions continue to be used as punishment in UP despite the SC ruling against the practice. It also said that demolitions done soon after registering a case may constitute a distorted exercise of executive discretion.The survivor’s father, a shopkeeper, said the accused man was from a minority community. He never objected to his daughter going to the barber shop as the family knew him. On Monday, the girl narrated her ordeal to her family, following which her father went to the barber’s shop but found it locked. He then approached police.“An FIR under BNS sections 64(1) (rape) and 5m/6 of Pocso Act was promptly registered, and the accused was arrested on Monday night. The girl was sent for medical examination, and she was stable,” said circle officer Jitendra Singh Parihar.(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)