A horrific gang rape case involving 23 men in Varanasi has jolted the nation’s conscience. As outrage mounts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for the strictest action, even as questions over gaps in the system and institutional accountability grow louder. A report by Mudit Mathur
Deeply shocked over the horrific incident of gang rape in his parliamentary constituency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed the strictest possible action and implement appropriate measures to prevent such crimes in the future. He was being briefed by senior police officers about the progress of the investigation into the frightening incident on his arrival to Varanasi.
The barbaric incident exposed the much-professed claim of the best law and order following a 19-year-old girl from Varanasi who was allegedly gang-raped by 23 individuals over a period spanning from March 29 to April 4, 2025.
According to the FIR filed by the victim’s family on April 6, the perpetrator group is said to have drugged her, moved her across various locations—including hotels, hookah bars, cafes, and lodges where different groups of the accused allegedly raped her. Authorities registered an FIR under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. So far, at least 12 accused have been arrested and sent to judicial custody, while police continue to search for the remaining suspects. These men have been identified as Raj Vishwakarma, Sameer, Ayush, Sohail, Danish, Anmol, Sajid, Zahir, Imran, Jaib, Aman and Raj Khan.
This heinous act reflects a systemic failure. We must work collectively—with the government, law enforcement, and civil society—to build a safer environment for all women. It drew mixed reactions. While the government (through PM Modi’s directive) emphasizes immediate, stringent action, opposition leaders and women activists are using the incident to call for a fundamental overhaul of systems meant to protect women.
Several prominent opposition figures have denounced the incident. They have characterized it as symptomatic of systemic failures in ensuring women’s safety and have called for a comprehensive review of law enforcement and judicial procedures related to crimes against women.
Expressing Solidarity with the victim and her family, the activists have described the incident as not only barbaric but also a clear manifestation of a deep-rooted failure in protecting women. Prominent women’s rights activists across India have taken to public platforms—including social media and organized public forums—to condemn the crime in the strongest possible terms. They insist that such acts are a stain on the nation’s commitment to gender equality.
Additional commissioner of police, Cantonment, Vidush Saxena, said that the 19-year-old woman had gone out with some youths on March 29 and when she did not return home, a missing person’s report was filed by her family on April 4. While she did not mention anything about the rape to the police when she was rescued, her family lodged a complaint alleging gangrape on 6 April.
The woman’s mother said the incident has left her daughter deeply traumatised. “She is not keeping well. The trauma has had a deep impact on her psyche,” the mother said, adding that police have been cooperating with the family throughout. “I wanted to meet the PM and tell him about her daughter’s trauma.”
Based on the complaint, the police had registered a case under sections 70(1)(gang rape), 74, 123, 126(2), 127(2) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) which narrates her ordeal. It says that on March 29, the survivor had gone to her friend’s home. On the way back home, she met a boy named Raj Vishwakarma, who took her to his cafe in Lanka, where he and his other friend did ‘bad acts’ with her”.
Earlier on November 1, 2023, a 22-year-old B.Tech student from IIT-BHU was allegedly abducted near the Karman Baba temple in Varanasi by three men on a motorcycle. They reportedly took her to a secluded area, assaulted her at gunpoint, stripped her, and recorded the incident before releasing her after approximately 15 minutes.
The gang rape cases underscored the deep-seated issues related to women’s safety, political accountability, and the handling of sexual assault cases in India. The strong reactions from various political leaders and parties reflect the urgency of addressing these concerns and ensuring justice for victims.
