Mumbai gangrape: Shock, anger across India, police arrest 1, hunt for 4 others

CNN-IBN | Updated Aug 24, 2013 at 12:06am IST

Mumbai/New Delhi: The gangrape of a young photojournalist in Mumbai triggered an outrage across the country on Friday with protests taking place in many cities. Political parties, journalists and the common people took to the streets to demand harshest punishment for the perpetrators of the crime in a city, which has always been considered safe for women.

A 23-year-old photojournalist was allegedly gangraped by five men on Thursday evening at Shakti Mill in Parel area of Central Mumbai. The woman was accompanied by a male colleague, who was gagged and bound while she was raped.

The incident, which brought back the horrific memories of a similar attack in New Delhi on December 16, 2012, also had its echo in Parliament, which erupted in anger with agitated members expressing serious concern over increasing atrocities on women and the government assuring "harshest" action against the culprits.

The incident brought back the horrific memories of a similar gangrape incident in New Delhi on December 16, 2012.

Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal said in Rajya Sabha that sexual assaults must be dealt with "in the severest manner". "We cannot afford to let our women and children live in insecurity and must make sure that such attacks against women are dealt in the severest manner," he said.

Attacking the government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that despite repeated assurances by the Centre, nothing has been done to enhance the safety of the women since the December 16 Delhi gangrape. "This incident should not be seen in isolation. Government came out with a law but it's structurally weak. Is this time for an incompetent government to be in power?" BJP leader Smriti Irani said.

Social media was also abuzz with rage over the gangrape. "... thousands of women aren't safe in a country that demands of them patriotism, sacrifices and taxes," said one tweet. Some said legislations are merely not enough. "If punishment is strict, rape incidents can be avoided," another tweet read.

The gangrape survivor is being treated at Mumbai's Jaslok Hospital is said to be out of danger. "She went through a minor medical procedure. She is stable now," CEO Jaslok Hospital, Dr Tarang Giachandani said.

Dr Tarang said that the 23-year-old had sustained minor internal and external injuries but she is not admitted in the ICU.

The Maharashtra government also faced flak over the incident. The Opposition blamed Home Minister RR Patil for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state and demanded his resignation. "If you can't improve the law and order situation in Mumbai, you must resign," BJP state unit president Devendra Fadnavis said.

The Shiv Sena also said that the Maharashtra government has failed to maintain law and order in the state and held immigrants from Bangladesh responsible for the rising crime rate in Mumbai. "There are many Bangladeshi immigrants in the city. Proper records of immigrants are not maintained. Several illegal colonies have come up, the crime rate has also gone up. Only if the police and the authorities take the matter into their hands, can the situation be improved," Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said.

NCP leader Vidya Chavan demanded that the culprits should be nabbed and given stringent punishment.

Patil, who visited the Jaslok hospital where the woman is undergoing treatment, expressed confidence that the culprits would be nabbed soon. "We have taken the incident very seriously. No one will be allowed to spoil the law and order situation," he said. The government accords top priority for ensuring that women are safe, he added.

The Mumbai Police later on Friday claimed to have solved the case with the arrest of one of the accused, who has reportedly confessed to the crime. The other four involved in the crime have been also identified, police said.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh said the accused told the woman and her male colleague that they were on railway property and photography was not allowed there. All the accused are residents of nearby areas and two of them have property cases against them, Singh said. Looking at the sensitivity of the case, police have asked the media not to reveal the names of the accused.

Singh said two of the accused took away the girl on the pretext of questioning her and raped her, while the boy was tied with a belt and was beaten up. All the five accused are in early 20s, Singh added.

The police have also released the sketches of all accused. The sketches were prepared on the basis of the details given by the photojournalist and her colleague. Over a dozen police team have fanned out across the city and a massive manhunt has been launched to arrest the culprits. The survivor had also named two of the suspects, police said.