• By Imran Zafar
  • Sat, 07 Sep 2024 06:38 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

The Ujjain Police on Saturday arrested a man who allegedly recorded a woman being raped on a footpath in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain. Police stated that the accused, identified as Mohammad Salim, filmed the rape of a female trash collector by a man named Lokesh at Kayala Pharak on September 4 in broad daylight and later shared it on social media.

According to the police, the accused not only recorded the brutal assault but also shared the video on social media, leading to its viral spread. The accused, an auto rickshaw driver and a native of Nagda, was arrested on Saturday. His mobile phone, containing the incriminating video, was recovered by the authorities. Police are also looking  into Salim's role in sharing the video online and investigating that all those involved in the incident are arrested. 

The incident, which occurred on Wednesday sparked outrage and political debate, with public demanding swift justice. The woman was allegedly forced to consume alcohol by the accused, who then raped her on the footpath. The viral video showed locals standing at the crime scene  but none of the individuals intervened to help. 

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The victim filed a complaint with the Thana Kotwali Police two days later, after which a female officer was called in to take her statement. Upon receiving the complaint, the police acted swiftly, registering an FIR and forming a team to arrest the accused Lokesh. 

Within two hours of the FIR, he was arrested and brought in for questioning.  The accused confessed to the crime and the woman’s medical examination confirmed the assault. Lokesh was presented in court, which sent him to Bherugarh Jail.

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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav assured the public that the culprits involved in the Ujjain rape case would face the strictest punishment. Speaking to news agency ANI, Yadav emphasised that no one involved in such crimes would be spared under his government’s rule. “There is rule of law in Madhya Pradesh. Those who commit a crime will be dealt with sternly. Nobody will be spared,” CM Mohan Yadav said.

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, described the rising violence against women as a “blot on humanity.” Rahul Gandhi, speaking out after the Ujjain and Siddharthnagar rape cases, criticised what he called “propaganda-centric” governments, blaming them for creating an insensitive system that leaves women vulnerable.

“The brutality against women in Ujjain and Siddharthnagar is a blot on humanity. The increasing crimes against women and the police administration’s attitude towards the victims and their families reflect the cruelty of the system,” Rahul Gandhi wrote on X.

Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari also weighed in, accusing the BJP government of remaining silent on the Ujjain case while protesting similar incidents elsewhere. 

“A woman was raped in broad daylight in CM Mohan Yadav's constituency. Why are MP CM Mohan Yadav, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi silent?” Patwari asked, further asserting that law and order in Madhya Pradesh is in a state of disarray. “There is 'Jungle Raj' in Madhya Pradesh when it comes to law and order. No one is safe here,” Patwari said.

(With Agency Inputs)