DCW chief slams student's rape in Delhi, lauds police action

DCW Chairperson Lata Gupta condemned the rape of a 16-year-old student on a moving bus in Delhi, calling it an 'inhumane act'. She pointed to societal breakdowns but praised the police for the prompt arrest of the bus driver and conductor.

DCW Chief Reacts to 'Inhumane Act'

Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson Lata Gupta on Monday strongly condemned the rape of a 16-year-old student near the ISBT Kashmere Gate in Delhi, calling it a deeply inhumane act while acknowledging the prompt arrests made by law enforcement. Speaking to ANI, Gupta pointed out the urgent need to address the underlying societal breakdowns and modern challenges and highlighted the immediate response and accountability ensured by the authorities following the student rape case. "I would say the same thing about that, that you'll see this kind of behavioural change happening among people, and it's not right. And a big reason for this is that the coordination, the communication, the platform for expressing our views within our families is disappearing. We must address that, pay attention," she said.

Underscoring the speed with which police intervened in the matter, she added, "And certainly, in the police action, you can see that prompt action has been taken. Where this incident occurred, the bus driver and the conductor, both of them were immediately arrested."

Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson expressed deep distress over the rising violence against minors and the diminishing safety standards in public spaces. She said, "Look, this is a very inhumane act, and this isn't just Delhi. I'm seeing that the patience within each of us is diminishing. The ground of humanity is disappearing. So, this has to be addressed somewhere, and after thinking about it, it has to be addressed."

Role of the Commission

Lata Gupta further pointed out the active assistance framework maintained to resolve grievances across the national capital. "The Delhi Commission for Women should fulfil the purpose for which it was created. I believe that after its creation, our women throughout Delhi will have a proper platform where they can share their problems. The Commission's main function is to stand with any victimised woman facing any problem with any agency, be it the court or the police. The Commission stands with them and simplifies the situation," she said.

Details of the Crime

Meanwhile, A 16-year-old student from Uttar Pradesh was allegedly subjected to a brutal gang-rape aboard a moving sleeper bus that travelled nearly 47 kilometres across the national capital region before the suspects abandoned her near a major transit terminal, police said. The incident reportedly occurred on the night of August 4 in a sleeper bus in the Kashmere Gate area. The police have arrested the bus driver, Kuldeep, and the conductor, Sandeep, in connection with the case.

According to police sources, the victim is a Class 11 student hailing from the Mainpuri district of Uttar Pradesh.

Detailing the sequence of events on August 4, Delhi police officials said that the student had left home without informing her family after a disagreement and was on her way to visit her cousin in Noida. Due to heavy rain and darkness, the student mistakenly got off at Pari Chowk. Just then, an empty sleeper bus passed by. The victim sought assistance after getting stranded in heavy rain and signalled the bus to stop, and it halted. The driver and conductor let her board, claiming the bus was going to Noida Sector-63.

It is alleged that shortly after the bus started moving, the conductor began making obscene advances toward the victim. According to the victim, the driver and conductor subsequently raped her and threatened to kill her when she resisted.

Police Investigation and Arrests

The accused dropped the victim off on the Ring Road near the Kashmere Gate bus terminal late at night and fled the scene. A terrified student contacted the Kashmere Gate police and reported the entire incident.

Police have arrested both accused individuals from a bus parking lot in Timarpur and seized the sleeper bus used in the crime, which is undergoing forensic examination.

According to police sources, the accused took the bus to a workshop in Surajpur for repairs following a mechanical breakdown. Describing how the accused exploited the vehicle's curtained interior to conceal the crime during the late-night journey, the police informed that after the repairs were completed, the driver and conductor were driving the empty bus to Timarpur when they encountered the student at Pari Chowk.

The bus covered a distance of approximately 47 kilometres from Pari Chowk to Kashmere Gate. Since it was a sleeper bus equipped with curtains, passersby could not see inside. Further investigation underway. (ANI)

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