In a shocking incident that has sparked widespread outrage in India, a man was caught on video raping a woman in broad daylight on a footpath in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district. The incident, which occurred last week at Koyla Phatak, one of the city’s busiest intersections, was filmed by passersby who chose to record the crime instead of intervening to help the victim.
According to PressTonight, City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Ujjain, Om Prakash Mishra, stated that the crime took place around 3:30 PM on Wednesday. The victim reported the assault to the police later that day, leading to the immediate involvement of a woman officer, who registered a First Information Report (FIR) after consulting senior officers.
The victim identified the accused as a man named Lokesh. Acting swiftly, the police arrested Lokesh within two hours of the FIR being filed. During questioning, Lokesh confessed to the crime. The victim was subjected to a medical examination, and Lokesh was subsequently presented in court, where he was placed in judicial custody. The victim’s statement was also recorded in court, where she confirmed the incident of rape. A video of the crime, which was captured by an onlooker, has been taken as evidence by the police.
In a related development, the auto rickshaw driver who filmed the assault was also arrested. Police allege that Lokesh had promised to marry the victim, made her drink alcohol, and then raped her.
This horrific incident follows closely on the heels of national outrage over the recent rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor in Kolkata, drawing parallels to the infamous 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi.
The incident has ignited a political firestorm, with the opposition Congress party condemning the “deteriorating law and order” in Madhya Pradesh. They highlighted that the crime occurred in Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s constituency, escalating tensions between the Congress and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
