After Kolkata, Rape Cases Reported In Last 48 Hours (image-X/iamsmithaa)
As outrage and protests over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital spread across the country, more horrifying rape cases have made headlines since.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Pratapgarh, a man was convicted of raping his minor stepdaughter five years ago. A special court sentenced him to 20 years of jail time and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000. The minor girl’s mother alleged that the accused, Devesh Chandra Tripathi, in a drunken state, raped his stepdaughter in the middle of the night on September 9, 2019. He then tried to strangle her with a gas pipe, claimed the mother.
Read Also: A Journalist’s Note On Kolkata Rape-Murder Coverage
The minor girl alleged that her stepfather had been sexually abusing her for over three years. His stepdaughter was ten years old at the time.
In Bengaluru, a woman was allegedly raped by an unknown biker. While returning home to Hebbagodi after a get-together in Koramangala, a woman took a lift from a biker who raped her in the early hours of Sunday. A rape case has been registered, and an investigation is ongoing.
In Dehradun, a minor girl hailing from Punjab was allegedly gang raped on an Uttarakhand Roadways bus on Tuesday evening. Five people accused of the crime have been arrested. The girl is reportedly 15 years old.
In Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol, a 69-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping a minor girl on August 14. According to Beohari police station-in-charge Arun Pandey, the girl was alone at home when the man raped her. The accused was arrested on August 16, a day after the complaint was lodged against him. The girl is 16-year-old.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra, a minor died on Tuesday after she was allegedly raped by her sports teacher, currently absconding. According to the victim’s family, the young girl was taken to the teacher’s house on the pretext of participating in a sports event on December 30, 2023, and later raped her.
Fearing public shame, the victim hid the incident from her family even as her health worsened. When she finally told the family, they didn’t file a case for the same reason. They also claimed that the accused, Vishambar, had paid them Rs 30,000 for their silence.
However, as the girl’s health deteriorated, her father filed a police complaint on July 10. The police have formed two teams to apprehend the accused, and a POCSO case has been registered against him. The girl was 14 years old.
Read Also: “Haryana Election Campaign”: Rape Convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Gets 21-Day Parole
In Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia, a man was arrested on Friday after he allegedly raped a minor girl on August 6 when she went to visit a friend. The accused, who was allegedly in the area, also posted a video of the crime online, claimed officials. The 20-year-old Kallu, the accused, has been arrested in connection with the case on Thursday. The girl was 11 years old.
Meanwhile, protests have taken over the country over the increasing cases of rape. On Sunday, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the Kolkata doctor’s case. The case will be heard on August 20 by a bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud.
