Indian protesters seek end to sexual violence

Another rape-murder case comes to light as thousands protest in New Delhi, Mumbai and other major cities

Thousands of people protested across India yesterday to seek an end to sexual violence against women, which has been on the rise in the country.

Carrying banners and placards, protesters marched in New Delhi, Mumbai and other cities, demanding that India’s government quickly prosecute rape suspects. Candlelight vigils were also held in some places.

Amid the outrage triggered by the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir and the abduction and rape of a teenage girl in India’s northern Uttar Pradesh state, another case of the brutal rape and murder of a girl was reported yesterday in the city of Surat in the western state of Gujarat.

Many protesters expressed particular anger at India’s ruling Hindu nationalist party for initially siding with the accused in the Kashmir case. The young victim was a Muslim and the accused are Hindus.

A total of at least nine suspects, including a lawmaker from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and four police officials, have been arrested in the two cases.

Violent crime against women has been on the rise in India despite tough laws enacted in 2013. In 2012, the fatal gang rape of a young woman in New Delhi triggered massive protests by hundreds of thousands to demand stricter rape laws in the country.

Many protesters expressed particular anger at ruling Hindu nationalist party for initially siding with the accused in the Kashmir case