In India, a police officer has been arrested after being accused of raping a 13-year-old girl. The child had reported to the police station because she was the victim of a gang rape and wanted to make a complaint. The incident happened last week but only came to light this week.
The rape took place in Lalitpur, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, and has sparked outrage and anger among the population. In addition to the officer, three other men have also been arrested for raping the girl. “We will take tough action against those who have committed this,” said a senior police officer.
The girl, who belongs to a community that continues to be marginalized, was first kidnapped by four boys on April 22. She was then raped, but a few days later she was able to escape. On April 27, she was able to reach a police station, but there she was raped again. She has since been hospitalized for treatment.
Series of rape cases
The rape girl’s fate is part of a series of horrific crimes against women in India, which has a reputation for being one of the worst countries for women and girls due to rape. The government recently stated, based on 2018 data, that a woman would be raped every 15 minutes in the country.
Official figures show that in 2017 more than 32,000 reports of rape were made. Critics say it takes too long for courts to rule on abuse cases. “There is virtually no protection for women. Criminals openly commit crimes,” said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, leader of the Congress party, on Twitter at the time.
Uttar Pradesh, the state where the 13-year-old girl came from, is led by the Hindu nationalist party of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is considered the most unsafe state for women. In December 2019, a 23-year-old outcaste in Uttar Pradesh was killed after being set on fire by a group of men. That happened when she wanted to go to court to file a charge of rape.
Left for dead
In 2012, there was even worldwide outcry when a young woman was gang-raped on a moving bus. The woman was severely beaten with iron bars and left for dead by the side of the road.
She died of her injuries two weeks later. Of the six perpetrators, one took his own life in 2013. The sixth suspect was a minor and was released in 2015.
This new incident only leads to even more anger. “If police stations are not safe for women, where should they go to file a report?” asks a politician from the largest opposition party.
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