Priyanka Gandhi raises women’s safety concerns after Delhi teen’s gang rape and murder

New Delhi: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday raised concerns over women’s safety in Delhi following the alleged gang rape and murder of a teenage girl, questioning the lack of accountability over crimes against women.

Priyanka Gandhi took to social media ‘X’ and said, “In Delhi, all limits of cruelty were crossed against a 17-year-old girl, and after that, she was brutally murdered. Just a few days earlier, another minor girl was raped. No one in the country is willing to take responsibility for women’s safety, only empty talk about women’s development is offered. Hundreds of women face atrocities and violence, but they cannot hope for concrete action against the perpetrators, FIRs aren’t even filed.”

“Both society and the government have completely failed in granting women their rights to safety, freedom, and equality,” she said.

Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had also raised the issue on Friday night, describing the incident as unfortunate and questioning the responsibility of authorities for ensuring women’s safety in the national Capital.

LoP Rahul Gandhi took to social media ‘X’ and said, “In Delhi, a 17-year-old girl was gang-raped, murdered, and her body was dumped in an open field. Such a horrific act of brutality in the capital, and the police had no clue for days. It’s unfortunate that Delhi is no longer the capital today; it has become a terrifying daily story for women.”

“Amit Shah ji, Delhi Police is under your control. Ultimately, whose responsibility is women’s safety? Or has the job of Delhi Police been reduced to just intimidating and threatening ordinary citizens? Because the criminals are roaming around fearlessly,” LoP Gandhi said.

Rahul Gandhi also called for strict action, and punishment against the rapists and murderers of the minor girl.

“The beasts must be arrested immediately, strict action and punishment must be taken, and accountability for this criminal negligence must be fixed. India cannot move forward without women’s safety,” LoP Gandhi said.

The minor girl was allegedly gang-raped and murdered by four persons, including three juveniles, in Delhi, with police saying the accused subsequently abandoned her body in an open area.

Parts of the victim’s decomposed body were later found to have been eaten by stray dogs.

According to police, the incident came to light on September 13 when the girl’s severely decomposed body was discovered near Jaipal Rana’s field along Kushak Road in the Swaroop Nagar area of North Delhi. The condition of the body was such that police could not initially determine the victim’s gender.

Police said the victim was acquainted with the accused and had been travelling with them in a tempo. During the journey, the group allegedly consumed alcohol before the girl was sexually assaulted. She was subsequently stabbed to death, after which her body was allegedly dumped in the open field.

Investigators said stray dogs had eaten parts of the body, while one of the victim’s hands was found detached from the rest of the body.

Police said the girl’s family had not lodged a missing person complaint. During questioning, her relatives reportedly told investigators that she would sometimes leave home and return after staying away for several days.

A case was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Since there were no apparent eyewitnesses and the identities of the suspects were initially unknown, police began examining CCTV footage from the area.

Investigators analysed footage from more than 50 CCTV cameras installed along the suspected crime scene and adjoining routes. During the exercise, police noticed a tempo moving in the vicinity around the relevant period. However, its registration number could not be identified clearly because of poor visibility and darkness.

The investigators subsequently tracked the vehicle’s movements through footage from several locations. A night-long operation was conducted during the intervening night of September 15 and 16, following which the tempo was traced.

Police then identified and questioned its driver. The investigation eventually led to the apprehension of four persons allegedly connected with the incident, including three juveniles.

The adult accused has been identified as Shivam, alias Sudama, alias Chuchu, a resident of Khadda Colony, police said. The three juveniles apprehended in connection with the case are aged 16 and 17.

According to police, two knives allegedly used during the crime, clothes purportedly worn by the accused and the tempo have been recovered.

IANS