A 20-year-old man’s attempt to rape a minor girl in Andhra Pradesh’ Guntur town on Tuesday night triggered violent protests in the region. Four police personnel were injured in the protests, the Hindustan Times reported on Wednesday.

The mob also consisted of the minor’s family members. The mob demanded that the man be handed over to them and attacked a police station and set fire to more than 20 police vehicles at Old Guntur Police Station. The police caned the mob and fired into the air to bring the situation under control. They have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Old Guntur town.

Guntur Superintendent of Police (Urban) Vijaya Rao pacified the agitators and told them that the man had not raped the girl but molested her. “We have booked a case. The situation is now under control,” Rao said.

The police said K Raghu allegedly tried to rape the girl, his neighbour, when she was alone at her home in the Balajinagar area of Old Guntur on Tuesday morning. The child, a Class 2 student, managed to escape and told her parents about the incident in the afternoon.

Fearing an attack, Raghu surrendered to the police, which reportedly angered the mob.