Delhi Gang Rape Case Evokes Rage Across India

A 23 year-old woman was stripped, beaten and raped in a moving bus in South Delhi on December 16, 2012,  stirring shock and outrage in India.

The victim and her male companion, who was also beaten with an iron rod, were then thrown off the bus, and dumped semi naked near Delhi's Mahipalpur flyover. She is now in the hospital with critical injuries.

The victim, a physiotherapist and her companion, a 28-year-old software engineer, were returning from watching a movie, when they got on to the private luxury bus which was en route to Dwarka. The bus driver along with six others, allegedly gang raped the woman. The police tracked down the bus and have arrested four persons.

Every year hundreds of rapes are registered in Delhi and hundreds more are not reported. In India rape is considered taboo which leads to few cases being registered. This incident has raised a lot of questions regarding public safety in the Indian capital.

The matter has been the talk of the town and was also been addressed in the parliament. But the most buzz was found on social media.

Perhaps Moonmoon Ghosh's Twitter status catches the frustration most:

@mooninanfield (Moonmoon Ghosh): Scary to be a woman in #Delhi. Actually, in whole of India. Sick. http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities

Posters from the Delhi Slutwalk.

Posters from the Delhi Slutwalk. Image by Rahul Kumar. Copyright Demotix (30/07/2011)

More reactions in Twitter:

@vanithaj: Delhi rape victim intestine and private parts hurt badly-doctors report. Is death punishment right for accused? No, hurt their private parts

@ArvindKejriwal7 (Arvind Kejriwal):635 rapes regd in delhi during 2012. Anyone punished so far? No? Doesn't it encourage such crimes? Each rape case shud be decided in 1 month

@anandmahindra (Anand Mahindra): The right measure of anger has built up in response to the Delhi gangrape. Media&social media need to sustain relentless pressure for action

@JusticeForWomen: #RAPE is not a #DELHI problem. Women and very young girls are raped EVERYDAY and EVERYWHERE in #India – The issue needs NATIONAL focus.

A Woman in Today's India is furious:

This is not the first time it has happened. It will not be the last!

It will happen again, and again, and again, multiple times in a day, across this great, goddess-worshipping nation called India. [..]

Rapes happen in India, because we are a callous nation.

An Indian Homemaker has a lot of questions:

What do you think made these rapists in Delhi so fearless? [..]

Do you think our society really sees rapists as serious criminals? Many of us seem to see rape as something that happens when a rapist is not able to control himself. It seems we have special standards for judging sexual criminals, and rapists know this.

Lakshmi Chaudhry writes:

Each time a sensational rape hits the headlines, each time a politician opens his or her mouth, it is an unwelcome reminder of this other India, of our slower, more dangerous twin that stubbornly refuses to grow or change. It is also irrefutable evidence that it is our world that is not entirely real, existing solely in a carefully guarded bubble built on the delusion of safety. A bubble that can be breached at will by the other India that we try so hard to insulate ourselves from.

Men participating at the Delhi Slutwalk.

Men participating at the Delhi Slutwalk. Image by Rahul Kumar. Copyright Demotix

Ritu Lalit posts an open letter to social activists, law makers and law enforcers. An excerpt:

I would like to draw your attention to the actual downtrodden of our country, our women. Why has the plight of our women escaped your notice? Why cant you froth in the mouth for them? The most public figures among you are women, and they freak about something that happened in 2002!

The Pregnant Thought opines:

The rape culture in delhi was not born yesterday. It is the illegitimate child of our unruly upbringing. Delhi hasn't failed. We have failed.

We have strict laws, we don't have proper implementation. More than stricter laws, we need a more open culture. What kind of culture is this where sex is a bad word, and rape is a norm.

What would it take for us to understand that “to address an issue, you need to undress it”

Wake up. Open up!

46 comments

  • bharatam

    Please ensure that there is a strong punishment for cases like rape, acid attack, eve-teasing and ragging

    Rape/Acid attack – both such cases should be given tough punishment as it ends the life of victim

    Castration(Operating and removing of Men’s both the body part with which they have created the crime) should be made legal for men who commit rape/acid attack on women, children and even on other men.

    This will make them feel ashamed just like how a victim feels after such incidents. These offenders will not be able to show their faces to any one.

    Just like how bullock are made from Oxes

    Punishments after proven guilty
    ———————————
    1. Rape/Acid Attack – Castration + 20 years Imprisonment + compenstation should be forcefully taken from offenders for plasitc surgery operation of acid attack victim. If the offender are unable to pay compensation then their property should be seized.

    2. Rape/Acid Attack leading to death of the victim – Castration + life imprisonment + Death Penalty + compenstation should be forcefully taken for victim’s family. If the offender are unable to pay compensation then their property should be seized.

    ================================

    Eve-Teasing/Ragging – both such cases should be given tough punishment as it ends career and life of the victim

    Punishments after proven guilty
    ——————————–

    1. Eve-Teasing/Ragging – 20 years imprisonment
    2. Eve-Teasing/Ragging – 20 years imprisonment + death penalty

    If the offenders are students then they are not supposed to spoil life of other childrens hence, the punishment for them should be strict.

    The above will lead to end of such crimes.

    ===================================================

    Please pass the above bill. Please create a anna hazare type andolan for passing this bill across India. This will safegaurd our sisters and children.

    Pass on this comments to as many people through facebook twitter etc.. as much as can so that this pattern of bill is passed.

    • ALL INDIAN FEMALES

      Thanks for the information sir!!!!!!!!!! but can anyone please comment if these laws are being followed?????????????? Big question mark…………..

  • Mahi

    Devil inside humans wins every other day and God doesn’t exist even in the remnants. Nothing can change this country….How hard we try, our efforts will be futile becoz the very base, on which the whole superstructure is established, is rotten…and our so called ‘govt’ is a passive spectator…..This will keep on happening and nothing can stop these criminals to repeat such crimes again and again….coz they know tat the whole system is corrupted and people who rule this system understands only the language of power and money….The irony is our capital is ruled by a woman….and still these crimes take place…..

  • DEEPEN MALLICK

    Only an Exemplary punishment to the accused possibly can value the priceless tears of the victim. Immediate enactment of Life Sentence for rape accused through fast track judgement.

  • The rapers should not be simply hanged they should be tortured with electric shock, burnt with acid , hot oil , their legs should be beaten by hammers , their hand should be nail down , they should be beaten with hunter until and unless these rapers grant for death and these scene should be shown live through televesion so that no one should ever think for rape in future . This should be capital punishment for rapers.

  • NO QUESTIONS, NO TRIALS, NO ENQUIRY, NO DETENTION……………………….JUST HANG THE CULPRITS!!!!!! put an end to female violence and injustice……………….

  • kabirdass

    Someone said…”Kameenonkadeshhai by GOD”..I felt incensed… but then the following dawned on me: ….

    Across the border sponsored terrorism”” started….people died…candle vigilswere held…parliament raged, politicians vowed…rhetoric..rhetoricand more rhetoric…followed………

    No concrete action…………………
    Period………………………………………………………..

    In the meantime….the terrorists weighed, considered do ability of their action , and inability of Indian state…got assured, planned with confidence…. crossed into our home and slapped, on our face and spilled our blood freely …(..Parliament attack..Dec 2001…. Mumbai attack….26/11..)

    In Delhi and elsewhere in India the rapists come ..rape ..roam free…even if caught by rare chance ..loooooooooooooooooooooongtime lapses and a very few of them get marginally
    and meagrely punished..(Hats off to the legislators they are so humane…really!!..they
    make such lax laws….) ..turning rape into a chill, kill and spill sport for the
    beasts with two legs….(Voila!! maybe the legislators/ the ruling class is actuallythinking
    of rape tourism…)

    On Sunday, while the streets were busy …in Delhi…rape and assault took place ..one can see the same old story unfolding….candle vigils…. shouting and vowing parliamentarians…some of them enacting their best acting scenes …. NO CONCRETE ACTION in the offing…just fire fighting and rhetoric….cancellation of licence for the bus… CM seemingly satisfied with that
    and patting her back for it…. more public outcry ….Shinde announcing fast track
    trial (as if the provision was not supposed to be in place by now for it …)..De-facto
    PM visiting hospital (…so curious and so much concerned…really!!)

    Aam aadmi party probably scared or probably finding no concrete political…returns. Hence lying low…BJP again trying to cash on….

    Aamaadmi like me…trembling and not daring to post comment on FB..Lestaamadmi be put on trial and be jailed…(at least here the police and system is inordinately efficient, alert and quick)

    Taking cue from how things escalated from cross border terrorism to direct onslaught into our homes.(Parliament/Mumbai streets..)..one can fairly guess what’s going to happen with regards to rape incidents…in Delhi…

    Hence…as caring subjects…. (dogs care and think of their masters first….some privileged ones call aamaadmi cattle…but maybe they are like dogs….believing and caring for their masters ..voting them back again and again and again…) …hence as caring subjects ..we must pray that ..Sheliaji is safe the female members of her family are safe….The police head’s female
    family members are safe…Home minister’s female family members are safe. Allfemale
    family members of the legislators and the females amongst the legislators (who have
    theresponsibility to make law) are safe…who knows…what can happen..When????
    …What happened to aamaadmi on Sunday night in a bus on busy Delhi streets may
    happen to them before they think of starting the rape tourism and transfer
    their cuts to the Swiss account….We must in fact pray that female family
    members of all those who manage this country are safe…

    We can also arrange candle vigils for our master’s female family members in advance…

    As for the cattle class …aamaadmi is after all…cattle class…if there is some unrest for a trivial issue like what happened last Sunday in Delhi(trivial because it happened with aamaadmi)..in a moving bus ….they (aamaadmi) just need to be managaed….by rhetoric, promises or if
    situation gets grave ..supply them candles for the candle vigils..offer them free medical aid..etc.make some hospital visits….hold some more much publicised meetings and pass some
    dated repeat orders….for instance… orders to remove tinted glass…(though the
    supreme court had already asked for it….the white rape vehicle was having
    tinted glass…and more…curtains….) but no concrete action is actually required…to
    be taken….

    However, writing this… I feel something too bitter in my mouth…I feel like vomiting…and strangely … I wish I was not born….at least not here ……in a shameless…soft …incapable ….corrupt….manipulative …inefficient …rhetorically managed ….dubious country like India…

    Maybe what I heard about “kameenon ka deshhai by God”..Was meant for those who manage this country….and maybe God was meant to be one of them…

    Maybe…not …you decide…!!!

  • SAM

    hey guys rather than posting these things on websites we ahould b out at roads to force govt for makin strongest law so dat no1 on dis so called cultural heritage country can date to do such offensible crime.

    n a request to publics which r available on road bt jst lookin at the incidence like dis 1 like a numb dummy shud take an immediate action.

    dats all I+ U=WE want.

  • Shruti Parab

    Right now even being in USA I feel the goosebumbs to the incident that has happened in Delhi!!!! Not only is it this Incident ……. There are so many !!!!……I wonder how my belongings are safe back home ….. my question to all of you is ….. IS IT JUST RAPE??? WAS IT JUST MURDER ???? ofcourse not …. THESE RAPIST WERE NOT JUST RAPIST BUT IN MY VISION WERE BRUTAL PSYCHOS ….. This is definitely a step further than physical abuse and abusive sex ….. ITS A BRUTAL PSYCHO ACT ….. just out of the thought that ” U ARE OUR PIECE OF MEAT FOR TONIGHT AND DARE U PROTEST AGAINST WHAT WE WANT TO DO. IF YOU DO SO .. WE HAVE ALREADY MANAGED TO GET RID OF YOUR MALE FRIEND .. N WE 6 ARE ENOUGH TO USE U AND KILL U.” .. where does this mentality come from ???? IT COMES FROM THE BIOLOGICAL FACTS OF WOMEN BEING WEAKER PHYSICALLY TO A MAN !!!! This is something we cannot change … HOWEVER IT IS DEFINITELY MORE TO THIS BIOLOGICAL THING WHICH WE CAN CHANGE !!!!! ……

    A) WOMEN AND INDIAN SOCIETY NEEDS TO FORGET TO ACT SUPER MOCKING OR GOSSIPING AND LEAVING SUCH CASES JUST AS A BAD LUCK ……

    I can bet that there are definitely more cases of rape than registered…. THAT IS BECAUSE VICTIM AND HER FAMILY MEMBERS DO NOT WANT TO COMPLAIN TO SAVE THEIR SO CALLED “IJJAT” …….

    because any IndiaN family would not want a raped gal as their daughter in law …

    BECAUSE SOCIETY MOCKS AT THIS INCIDENT ….. EVEN IF IT DOESN’T MOCK … AND FEELS PITY .. STILL NONE OF THE MOMS WOULD WANT THEIR SONS TO MARY A RAPED WOMAN ..

    SO PEOPLE BELIEVE IN HIDING IT …..

    Thus victim and her family never report and courage to this increases OUT OF PURE HYPOCRISY OF THE SOCIETY !!!!

    And may be one of these escaped culprits take a step ahead since they were not punished …..

    B) Our Local Defense Department/ Police :

    MAY BE WHAT I AM STATING FURTHER IS NOT APPLICABLE TO ALL OF INDIAN POLICE …

    Buh its wisely said ” ONE ROTTEN MANGO CAN SPOIL REST OF THEM.”

    So One is enough ……

    THERE HAS BEEN A CASE IN MUMBAI WHERE A POLICEMAN AND CONSTABLE RAPED A GIRL ……

    JAB RAKSHAK HI BHAKSHAK BAN JAYE FIR KYA KARE HUM !!!

    So

    POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD HAVE EXTRA TRAINING ON HOW TO HANDLE THESE CASES . THERE SHOULD BE A SEPARATE ANTI RAPE SQUAD ….. OR DIFFERENT ANTI RAPE SQUAD SHIFTS ….. ASSIGNED TO POLICE OFFICERS …. .. these shifts or headcount of this force should vary depending on prevalence of rapes /…..

    FOR INSTANCE IT SHOULD BE INCREASED IN DELHI !!!!

    ALSO THE CONVERSTAION OF INQUIRY AND INFACT EVERY ACT OF POLICE SHOULD BE VOICE OR EVEN VIDEO RECORDED (ESPECIALLY WITH RAPED FEMALE BY BLURRING HER FACE ) ….

    THE SET OF QUESTIONS ASKED SHOULD BE LIKE A FORM( to avoid any personal inputs ) …… AND ANY EXTRA INFORMATION TO THAT FORM SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY RECORDED AND UPLOADED ELECTRONICALLY AND ON PAPER ( DATEWISE).

    THERE SHOULD BE EXTRA INCENTIVES OR PROMOTIONS FOR RAPE CASES !!!!

    THE ANTI RAPE DEPARTMENT SHOULD WORK IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH SOCIAL WORKERS AND PANEL OF DOCTORS!!!

    THERE SHOULD BE STRINGENT DEADLINES TO RAPE CASES :

    -VICTIM STATEMENT PROCUREMENT (UNLESS VICTIM IS NOT IN A STATE TO ANSWER)

    -IDENTIFICATION OF THE CONVICTED

    -ARRESTING OF CONVICTED

    – AND FASTER PROCEEDINGS

    DISCLOSING OF RAPIST !!!!

    well i do not understand one fact that why the hell are RAPIST once identifed …..have their face covered ????????

    THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP TO TAKE !!!!

    RAPIST ONCE DISCLOSED SHOULD BE THROWN OPEN TO THE SOCIETY ….EVEN IF THEY ARRESTED OR PUNISHED. THERE SHOULD BE THEIR POSTERS AROUND THE CITY ……. THEIR SHOULD BE A NUMBER ASSIGNED TO THEM WITH ALL THEIR RAPE RECORD …..

    I AM 100% SURE THAT THE ACCUSED OF DELHI RAPE CASE WERE NOT RAPING FOR THE FIRST TIME !!!!!

    SO IF SOCIETY ALREADY KNOWS ABOUT THE CHARACTER PEOPLE WOULD BE AWARE AND GET ALERT AS IF HE WAS A WANTED !!!!

    ALSO A PERSON MIGHT DREAD TO DO SUCH AN ACT FEARING THE “IJJAT” FUNDA !!!

    ALL HAVE FAMILIES ….. PERSON WOULD FEAR THAT HE AND HIS FAMILY IS AT STAKE if he commits such a crime !!!

    SENTENCE OF THE RAPIST:

    THERE SHOULD BE NO OTHER PUNISHMENT BUT DEATH FOR THE RAPIST !!!! I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER INDIAN CONSTITUTION WOULD ALLOW THIS ……

    BUH THERE SHOULD BE EVEN NORE BRUTAL PUNISHMENT THAN HANG TO DEATH !!!!

    HANG TO DEATH IS A VERY VERY SMALL SUFFERING ….. SINCE RAPIST DIES WITHOUT MUCH PAIN !!!

    IT IS TIME TO GET THE MOGHUL OR KING DYNASTY ERA BACK … WHEN THEIR HANDS ARE AMPUTED AND THEY ARE LEFT TO SURVIVE …….

    IN ORDER TO AVOID MISIDENTIFICATION THIER SHOULD BE

    – VICTIM’S CONSENT

    – SUFFICIENT BIOLOGICAL TESTS PROVING IT WAS A RAPE

    – ALSO A SPECIAL PETITION BY THE WOMAN STATING HER PAIN IN WORDS AND HER DEMAND FOR THE RAPIST.

    VICTIM SHOULD BE GIVEN FULL PROTECTION AGAINST ANY PHYSICAL OR MENTAL TORCHER AND ANY THREATS FROM RAPIST.

    These are few things that I am trying to put forth to try and curb RAPE SITUATIONS in INDIA !!!!

    ITS HIGH TYM WE PROTECT WOMEN !!!! PLEASE JOUN THE CAUSE !!!! I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEST THINKING TO ADDRESS IT AND WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF EFFICIENT LAWYERS AND LAW DEFINERS … MAY BE WE CAN HAVE A SOLID GAME PLAN TO DEAL THIS HORRIFYING CRIME !!!

  • disqus_xbnHt7BeWM

    I think rape should be treated worse then murder they should be hanged to death nude at India gate . Make a statement for all the others that this will not be tolerated and rape cases should be solved in a matter of days not months once the culprit is recognized punish him and there is only one punishment right forthis hodious and outragious crime and that is shoot them or hang them.

  • law’s not going to react….. we must break the walls of jail and kill all those evil bustards brutally.

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