The new deadly rape shook India ‘again’

New Delhi (CNN) – An Indian woman who was allegedly assaulted and raped in Mumbai on Friday has been accused of having a resemblance to the brutal gang rape and murder of a student in 2012. Against sexual violence in the country.

A 34-year-old woman was found lying unconscious in an open minibus in the suburbs of Saginaw, Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrele told a news conference on Saturday.

Citing a local official, CNN affiliate News-18 said he was allegedly raped and beaten with an iron bar. The woman was admitted to Rajwadi Hospital and initially responded to treatment, but died on Saturday due to her poor health, Nakrale said.

Police arrested one person on suspicion of rape and murder, claiming he had been identified from CCTV footage, Nagarel added. He has not been formally charged and will remain in police custody until September 21.

Palwant Deshmukh, chief police inspector at Sakinaka police station, told CNN that the victim and the accused were homeless. If convicted and convicted, the suspect could face the death penalty.

Yogita Bayana, a sexual violence and women’s rights activist, said the case in Mumbai on Friday “shocked the nation again” because it “incredibly resembles” the brutal rape and murder of 23-year-old student Nirbhaya in New Delhi.

Nirbhaya – the nickname given to the victim, i.e. “brave” – ​​was raped and beaten with iron rods, according to court documents, and suffered horrific injuries. He died two weeks after the attack at a Singapore hospital.

Her death sparked an investigation into sexual violence and crimes against women in India. The case marked a turning point in the country and prompted millions of women to protest against tougher laws against sexual abuse.

“After Nirbhaya, we thought things would change, but we keep hearing (rape) cases every day. Not a day goes by without us asking about one,” Payana said. “As activists, we pressurize the government and the nation a lot, but when we know of such brutality, we feel very powerless. I have no words to describe it.”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uttam Thackeray, the capital of Mumbai, has expressed shock over the “horrific” incident.

Thackeray tweeted on Saturday that “the heinous crime in Zaki Naga is an insult to humanity”, adding that the case would be expedited and the culprit would be “severely punished”.

Rape crisis in India

According to the latest figures from the National Criminal Records Bureau of India, more than 32,000 cases of rape against women were reported in 2019, one every 17 minutes. But activists believe the real number is too high because many are not informed by fear.

After Nirbhaya’s death, the number of rapes has increased, which may be due to awareness of the issue. Rape experts say talking about rape has helped remove the stigma.

Later, legal reforms and stricter penalties for rape were introduced. These include speedy courts to get rape cases through the court system, a revised definition of rape that includes anal and oral penetration, and the introduction of new guidelines to eliminate the two-finger test. Sexual intercourse.

However, high-profile rape cases continue to make headlines. In August, four people were charged with rape and murder A 9 year old girl In New Delhi. The woman belongs to the Dalit community in the country and is very oppressed in the caste hierarchy of Hinduism.

In January, a Hindu priest and his two male disciples were arrested for raping and killing a 50-year-old woman in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. In September last year, protests erupted across the country over allegations that a 19-year-old Dalit woman was gang-raped and murdered in Uttar Pradesh.

Bayana, an activist, stressed that the nation must work together to ensure that Indian women are protected.

“As a nation, we need to think about where we are now,” he said. “Almost 10 years have passed since Nirbhaya, but things remain the same. We have to work together, otherwise nothing will change.”