Sangeet Som launches scathing attack on Akhilesh Yadav: “Those who changed the names of districts named after Dalits should not pretend to be Dalit sympathizers today; justice will be served in Kapsad.”
Meerut. BJP leader Sangeet Som launched a sharp attack on Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav. He said that politicizing a serious case involving a young woman is unfortunate. Sangeet Som alleged that Akhilesh Yadav is now remembering Dalits, even though during his tenure, the names of districts named after Dalits were changed and Dalits faced injustice. Sangeet Som said that some “small-time leaders” are also trying to give a political color to this sensitive matter. Referring to Phaphunda village, he said that a young woman was raped by six people there, and she later committed suicide. Demands for action were raised in that case too, but were there similar protests and political maneuvering then? He questioned whether politics will now be played only on selective cases. The BJP leader clarified that this village is his own, and the entire village stands with the victim’s family. He said that there is neither any Dalit nor Thakur here—the entire village, like one family, stands for justice for the victim, and justice will be delivered at all costs. It is noteworthy that the Samajwadi Party has been continuously attacking the BJP since Thursday night regarding the Kapsad incident. On one hand, Akhilesh Yadav is raising questions about the government through social media, while on the other hand, Sardhana MLA Atul Pradhan has also been active since Thursday, staging protests and making statements regarding the incident. Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit youth attacked with sticks and rods: Incident in Panna Tikri, police launch investigation
A Dalit youth, Munner, was attacked around 9:30 PM in Panna Tikri village, under the Kotwali Dehat police station area. The attackers beat him with sticks, rods, and iron bars, leaving him seriously injured. It is alleged that the attackers used casteist slurs while beating Munner. Munner suffered fractures to his fingers and legs, and also sustained head injuries in the attack. When Munner’s wife and daughter rushed to his aid after hearing the commotion, the attackers also misbehaved with them. The accused then threatened them with death and fled the scene. The injured Munner was taken to the Bhadaiya Community Health Center, from where he was referred to the district hospital due to his critical condition. Dehat Kotwal Dharamveer Singh said that action is being taken in the matter and a case will be registered upon receiving a formal complaint. Shubh Pandey | Bhadaiya (Sultanpur) Courtesy: Hindi News
Key accused held in UP Dalit woman murder and kidnapping case after Haridwar raid
Police track down the prime accused two days after a Dalit woman is killed defending her daughter as tensions rise in the village amid security deployment and community backlash The upper-caste youth who allegedly killed a Dalit woman and kidnapped her daughter at a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district on Thursday was arrested from a hotel in Haridwar on Saturday evening. The abducted girl, 20-year-old Ruby Kumari, has also been recovered. Vipin Tanda, senior superintendent of police of Meerut, said: “We are bringing them to Meerut at the moment and can only comment after interrogating them.” The police had announced a reward of ₹25,000 for information on 25-year-old Paras Singh Som only an hour before they succeeded in tracking him down. Sources said Paras’s friend and co-accused Sunil Singh Som, who was arrested first, revealed his whereabouts. “They had taken the girl to Gurgaon first but shifted to Haridwar for some reason,” said another cop associated with the case. Both Paras and Sunil belong to the Rajput community. The whereabouts of the other two unidentified accused are unknown. Earlier on Saturday, the police had blocked all entries to Kapsad village, where Sunita Devi, 50, was killed on Thursday while trying to protect Ruby from being abducted by Paras and his associates. The village was cordoned off on Friday, but reporters and BJP politicians were allowed entry. From Saturday, entry has been strictly restricted to residents of the village. Deceased Sunita Devi’s family conducted her last rites on Friday night after initially refusing to do so till the accused were arrested and Ruby was brought home safe. According to a complaint filed by Sunita’s son Mandeep Kumar, 25-year-old Paras, Sunil Singh and two other unidentified men had intercepted the mother-daughter duo on their way to their fields on Thursday morning. Paras attacked Sunita with an axe when she tried to prevent him and his friends from forcibly taking Ruby away. Sunita later died in a hospital. The villagers said the government posted two battalions of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) at the village entry points on Saturday after the victim’s family raised uncomfortable questions in front of reporters about the police’s alleged failure to recover Ruby and nab the accused. The PAC on Saturday asked the media and leaders from the Opposition parties to leave the village. Ruby’s eldest brother Narsi Kumar said: “I had told the reporters to ask the cops whether they would tender an apology for failing to bring back my sister from Paras’s clutches. Later, I asked the same question to the police officers. They didn’t like this and removed the media and the non-BJP leaders from the village.” Sunita’s last rites were conducted after Sangeet Som, a former BJP MLA of Sardhana, promised that Ruby would be recovered within 48 hours, the killer-kidnapper would be behind bars, a member of the victim’s family would get a job, the government would provide them an arms licence and ₹10 lakh compensation, and the police would offer them security. The villagers said Paras, who works as a pharmacist, used to harass Ruby and had to pay a fine of ₹50,000 to the girl’s family to prevent them from filing a case against him a few months ago. “There is tension in the village because the Rajput community is supporting Paras,” Sunita’s husband Satyendra Kumar said. Piyush Srivastava Courtesy : The Telegraph Note: This news is originally published on https:/thetelegraph.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
After the recovery of the Dalit girl in Meerut, her brother, weeping, said, “Mother is gone, and now you, sister…”
UP News: In the Meerut Sardhana murder case, the victim’s brother, weeping, appealed to the administration, saying, “No pressure should be put on my sister.” The victim’s brother has released an emotional message for his sister. UP News: A new twist has emerged in the heart-wrenching murder and abduction case in Kapsad, Sardhana, Meerut. While the police have arrested the accused Paras Som and recovered the girl, an emotional video of the girl’s brother has surfaced. The brother, who has lost his mother, is devastated by his sister’s safety and the potential pressure being put on her, and is weeping and pleading for justice. The brother says that he received the news of his sister’s recovery through a video, but he is extremely worried about her mental state and the pressure being exerted on her. ‘No one should put pressure on my sister’ The weeping brother appealed that no kind of force or coercion should be used against his sister. He said, “I have come to know that my sister has been found, but I don’t know if she is safe and sound. I appeal that no one should force her to give a false statement or threaten or intimidate her.” The brother said this emotional thing to his sister Giving courage to his sister, the brother, weeping, said, “Sister, if you are watching or hearing this video, don’t panic at all. Our mother is gone, but millions of your brothers are standing behind you. Millions of people will risk their lives to protect you, just don’t be afraid.” The family is haunted by the fear of something untoward! The victim’s brother has expressed apprehension that his sister might have been tortured during the abduction. Expressing his fear, he said, “I think some people might be scaring her, beating her. She might be being threatened that they will abduct her brother or others from the house. We still feel threatened.” Questions raised over police action Regarding the police claim of recovering the girl within 48 hours, the brother said that more than 60 hours have passed. He also said that his sister has not yet been presented before them, so they are not convinced about her well-being. The brother demanded that the entire legal process should be fair and the case should not be suppressed under any pressure. What did the SSP say? SSP Vipin Tada said that the Meerut and Saharanpur police conducted a joint operation and arrested the accused Paras Som and recovered the abducted girl. He said that the police had been tracking the accused for the past several days through electronic surveillance, manual intelligence, and questioning of family members. Finally, the police achieved success after receiving a precise tip-off. The SSP clarified that the administration is very sensitive about this matter. He said, “I myself and the District Magistrate went to meet the victim’s family. The family has been provided with all possible government assistance and security. Our priority is to ensure that the atmosphere in the village does not deteriorate.” SSP gives stern warning to those trying to disrupt peace SSP Vipin Tada warned that no person (whether from the village or outside) will be allowed to disturb the peace. If any person attempts to disrupt the peace or create trouble, the police will take the strictest legal action against them. What will the police do next? Regarding the girl being a minor and other details of the case, the SSP said that the recovery has just been made, and now the girl’s statement will be recorded as per rules. Further steps will be taken based on the facts that emerge during the legal proceedings and investigation. Usman Chaudhary Courtesy : Hindi News
Congress brought in laws against Muslims and Dalits, Owaisi reveals why Khalid and Imam were denied bail
Asaduddin Owaisi Statement: Owaisi said that the then Home Minister P Chidambaram had introduced the UAPA. He was the only person to oppose it in Parliament. Today, this law is not… Asaduddin Owaisi News: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has blamed the Congress for Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam not getting bail. He said that the stringent UAPA under which Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam have been booked was implemented during the Congress government’s tenure. The Hyderabad MP was speaking at a public meeting in the Chandni Chowk area under Amravati, Maharashtra, ahead of the municipal elections. Owaisi said that those who talk about secularism during elections are actually enemies of Muslims, Dalits, and tribals, as they use political secularism to get votes. He said that Khalid and Imam were denied bail by the Supreme Court in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case based on Section 15A of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Chidambaram had introduced the UAPA During this time, Asaduddin Owaisi also said that the then Home Minister P Chidambaram (during the Congress government) had introduced the UAPA. He (Owaisi) was the only person to oppose it in Parliament. I was the first to say that the police would use this law against Muslims, tribals, Dalits, and intellectuals who understand and oppose the government’s policies. You can see what has happened today. These two young men could not get bail because of the definition of terrorism in that law. Supported the amendment to UAPA in 2019 Owaisi said that Khalid and Imam have been languishing in jail for 5 years. Meanwhile, 85-year-old Stan Swamy, an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, died in jail due to this very law. He said that when the UAPA was amended in 2019, the Congress party had supported the BJP government, which is now ruining the lives of innocent people. This week, the Supreme Court rejected the bail applications of activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, but granted bail to five others, citing their level of involvement. By Ranjan Kumar Courtesy: Hindi News
Congress has done nothing in past two years, says KTR
Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Thursday said the Congress govt had done nothing in the past two years, except for evasion (Egavethalu), demolitions (Kulchivethalu) and destruction (Pelchivethalu). Speaking at a meeting in which several leaders from Kollapur assembly constituency joined the BRS at Telangana Bhavan, the BRS working president said the Congress came to power by making 420 promises and six guarantees, but did not fulfil any of these. Similarly, houses of the poor were bulldozed in the name of encroachments by HYDRAA, and even irrigation structures and check dams were damaged by using detonators by the sand mafia. “Chief minister Revanth Reddy has failed to protect the interests of Telangana in water issues,” he added. Countering Congress leaders who criticised his recent comments on Rahul Gandhi, KTR reminded them that it was Revanth Reddy — not him — who had repeatedly abused the Gandhi family in the past. KTR challenged the Congress to first question their own CM before pointing fingers at the opposition. Addressing reports that the Congress govt plans to hold the GHMC election soon, KTR called upon the BRS cadre to face the election together and secure victory. He highlighted that under the BRS govt, Hyderabad witnessed nearly 9,700 crore worth of development, which should be taken to every division and every voter. Taking a dig at Serilingampally MLA Arekapudi Gandhi, KTR said the MLA betrayed the BRS and joined Revanth Reddy only to protect his land interests. Despite this betrayal, KTR said every meeting held in Serilingampally has been receiving massive support due to the unwavering affection the people have for KCR and the BRS. Earlier today, senior leader Gutta Narendra Yadav, along with hundreds of his followers and supporters, joined the BRS. Says houses of the poor were bulldozed in the name of encroachments by HYDRAA, and irrigation structures and check dams were damaged by using detonators by sand mafia Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rahul to participate in Gudalur school event on Jan 13
Chennai: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to attend the golden jubilee celebrations of St Thomas English High School in Gudalur in the Nilgiris on Jan 13. Sources said he has no political agenda scheduled besides a reception hosted by Congress functionaries at the helipad. Rahul last visited Gudalur during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Sept 2022, where he addressed a gathering of supporters, praising the beauty of the scenic town in the Western Ghats. He stayed at a private school overnight before leaving for Karnataka. “Rahul will arrive in a chopper from Mysuru at 3.30 pm. He will attend the event at the school and leave at 4.30 pm. As far as we know, the leader has no political events or meetings,” said a Congress functionary. Rev Dr Mathews Mar Makarios Episcopa, Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, is expected to participate in the golden jubilee celebrations of the school. Rahul Gandhi’s visit comes amidst political tension in DMK-Congress alliance with some Congress functionaries and elected representatives publicly seeking share in power and criticising BJP over the censorship controversy linked to Vijay’s latest film “Jana Nayagan”. According to sources, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi are likely to meet the TNCC president, former presidents and the elected representatives from Tamil Nadu in Delhi on Jan 18 to discuss poll preparedness. “The meeting was originally scheduled on Jan 14. The proposed meeting is in line with the tradition of meeting representatives of poll-bound states in Delhi,” said a senior leader. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
A village in Meerut is on edge after the murder of a Dalit woman and the abduction of her daughter; the terrified administration has turned the village into a fortress.
The murder of Sunita, a woman from the Scheduled Caste community, and the abduction of her daughter Ruby in Kapsad village of Sardhana in Meerut have sparked a new political storm in the state. In Uttar Pradesh, where Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is being promoted as a strict administrator by BJP leaders, workers, and his supporters, who claim that the Yogi government has brought law and order back on track during its tenure, the incident in Kapsad village of Meerut exposes the hollowness of these claims. It also raises questions about the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” (Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter) slogan, which has been widely promoted for the past fourteen years. She too was someone’s daughter, who was abducted in broad daylight by thugs. Her mother was attacked and killed with a sharp weapon, and even after three days, the abducted girl has not been found. The incident took place in Kapsad village of Meerut district. The village has been fortified; if more than 50,000 police personnel, including 20 inspectors and 150 sub-inspectors, have to be deployed in a village, one can imagine that a major incident has occurred. Kapsad village in Meerut has currently been transformed into a military camp. Movement of people has become extremely difficult. The reason for this police crackdown is the abduction of a daughter from a Scheduled Caste family in Kapsad village and the murder of her mother while she was trying to save her daughter from the abductors. The atmosphere is so tense that the police had to conduct a flag march. How did the incident happen? This is an incident from Thursday, January 8th. Sunita, from a Scheduled Caste family, was going towards the fields with her daughter Ruby. It is alleged that Paras Som, Sunil, and their accomplices from Kapsad village attacked Sunita with an axe and abducted her daughter Ruby before fleeing. Ruby was scheduled to get married in April of this year. Ruby’s mother, Sunita, who was injured in the attack, died at a hospital in Modipuram during treatment. This sparked outrage throughout the entire area. Moreover, the abducted girl is still missing, and the police have not yet arrested the named accused. On Friday, the family kept Sunita’s body at home all day. The family categorically stated that they would not perform Sunita’s last rites until their daughter was found. What are the implications of Vinay Katiyar’s involvement? However, later, the family was given a check of Rs. 10 lakh by the government. They were also assured that a family member would be granted a firearms license. In addition, a police force would be deployed in the village for security. Following this assurance, Sunita’s last rites could finally be performed around 7:45 pm. Her son, Narsi, lit the funeral pyre. Earlier, Samajwadi Party, BSP, Bhim Army, ASPA leaders and workers, and local people continued to protest. The police had also transformed the village and the surrounding area into a fortified zone. There was also a commotion when SP MLA Atul Pradhan was stopped outside the village. The victim’s family allowed the MLA to enter the village. Ruling party and opposition face off: The murder of Sunita, a Scheduled Caste woman, and the abduction of her daughter Ruby in Kapsad village of Sardhana has heated up the politics of the state. On Friday, on one hand, there was the grieving family of the abducted daughter, and on the other hand, there was a barrage of accusations and counter-accusations between the leaders of the ruling party and the opposition in the village. Seeing the gathering of the opposition to corner the government, the village was transformed into a fortified zone with police deployed all around since morning. Barricades were erected 2.5 km before the village boundary. More than 500 police personnel, including the SSP, SP Rural, SP Traffic, four COs, 20 inspectors, and 150 sub-inspectors, were deployed in the village. The RAF team was also seen on alert. Samajwadi Party MLA Atul Pradhan was stopped at the border of Kapsad village, where tensions had reached a peak since 7:30 AM. The police had cordoned off the village. The family members refused to perform Sunita’s last rites until the accused were arrested. Samajwadi Party MLA Atul Pradhan, Bhim Army District President Charan Singh, and other activists, along with Congress leaders, set out for the village, but the police stopped them at the border. After nearly 19 hours of struggle, in the presence of former MLA Sangeet Som, SP Rural Abhijit Kumar, and ADM City, the police gave a written promise that Ruby would be found within 48 hours. A family member would also be given permanent employment at the local sugar mill. Following this, the MLA and others sat on a dharna (protest) on the road outside the village. The situation remained tense throughout. At one point, it seemed as if the police might resort to a lathi charge, although this did not happen. The Samajwadi Party MLA said that a Scheduled Caste woman had been murdered and her daughter kidnapped. If this had been a case involving another community, bulldozer action would have already been taken. The victim’s family sat on the dharna with the MLA. After about an hour and a half of slogans and arguments, Sunita’s husband Satendra and son also arrived and joined the protest. The situation became so volatile that the police had to give way. After this, everyone reached Sunita’s house. The most emotional moment during the protest came when Sunita’s eldest son, Narsi, weeping, hugged MLA Atul Pradhan. He asked, sobbing, “MLA, just tell me, will my sister ever come back?” This question brought tears to the eyes of everyone present. The family is demanding that their daughter, Ruby, be rescued from the clutches of the kidnappers and brought back safely. They are also demanding the immediate arrest of the main accused, Paras Som, and his accomplices. They want bulldozers to be used to demolish the houses of the accused. They
Book Review | The True Desperation of Odisha’s Dalit Lives
All in all, it’s a disturbing, provocative read, but the translation lets the story down occasionally This is a retelling of a true story. In 2012, an argument over a missing vest ignited a storm that ended in the destruction of forty Dalit houses in the village of Lathore in Odisha. Upper caste anger over the unproven theft of this vest by a Dalit youth led to hours of fire and violence. The author says in his preface that he contacted senior administrators and police officials asking them to persuade the District Collector to help the victims, but nothing ever happened: at the time the book’s translation was complete, the victims were still waiting. As the story begins, Makaru Suna, a young Odiya tribal, is on the train to Lathore from Raipur, Chhattisgarh. In his third-class compartment, he witnesses fellow passengers dumping garbage — peanut shells, for instance — or encouraging small children to urinate on the floor. The mess is wiped up later by a skinny lad who prefers cleaning up other people’s messes to begging, but the sight evokes an inexplicable rage in him. Makaru has boarded the train on hearing of the destruction by fire of the Dalit basti where his relatives live. Along the journey, he takes a walk in his mind, remembering his own departure, years ago, fromhis village, Banjipali, near Lathore. As a youngster, he had been forced to violence by an upper caste lad — a serious crime. The reparations demanded were a large sum of money to be paid by next morning, or his own life. He and his parents fled to Raipur, where he found work as a peon, his father got a rickshaw, and his mother began to work as a housemaid. They now live a life of poverty, but have hope and some dignity. His arrival in Lathore — Harishankar Road in Railways parlance — at the end of his present journey — opens up a whole new area of horror — and of the discovery of how his life in Raipur has let him drift so far away from the culture and gods of his childhood. And the focus shifts to the one thing that hasn’t changed in all these years — the troubles of Odisha’s Dalits. Makaru’s reminiscences include the troubles of his grandfather and his two brothers, who settled in three nearby villages, Lathore, Banjipali, and Larki, where they suffered at the hands of the upper castes and the British. In Lathore, he meets Chitrasen Suna, Chitra-da to Makaru, who had worked his way up from the bottom and achieved some kind of status in his society. In the destruction of the basti, Chitra-da has lost his all, and, perhaps due to age, the will to fight to get it back. The days that Makaru spends with Chitra-da in the relief camp leave him with a sense of quiet desperation, for he sees victims treated like criminals while the bullies walk free. And so, when Makaru boards the train back to Raipur, he carries this quiet hopelessness back with him. The story is enriched by insights into how the exploitation gathers momentum. For example, Marwari traders start with brass utensils for barter, then sell more wares, then lend money for interest, and, eventually, become usurers creating slavery through unpaid — and mounting — debt. They exploit the villagers hiding behind the more capable villagers, selecting them for better-paying activities than the traditional cattle-herding. All in all, it’s a disturbing, provocative read, but the translation lets the story down occasionally. From what this reviewer gathered, the Odiya version shines with simplicity and integrity. The translation dilutes both. Courtesy : DC Note: This news is originally published on https:/deccanchronicle.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
MP: Tribal Woman Gang-Raped in Harda; Four Accused, Including Dhaba Owner, Two in Custody
This incident once again brings to light the horrific reality of the exploitation of tribal women in the name of safety and employment. Bhopal. A very serious and shocking case of gang rape of a tribal woman has come to light in Harda district of Madhya Pradesh. Four people, including the owner of a roadside eatery (dhaba) located on Khudiya Road under the Sirali police station area, are accused of holding a 27-year-old tribal woman captive and raping her. The police have taken swift action and taken two of the accused into custody, while the search for the remaining two is underway. Lured with the promise of a job, then subjected to brutality In her statement to the police, the victim said that on January 6, the dhaba owner, Anand Rajput, lured her with the promise of a job at his eatery. Using this pretext, he took the woman to the dhaba on Khudiya Road on his motorcycle. According to the victim, she was given alcohol there at night, which rendered her semi-conscious. During this time, Anand Rajput, along with his three accomplices, raped her. The victim also stated that Kanha Rathore, a resident of Sirali, also played an active role in this inhumane act. According to the woman, she was threatened when she resisted and was held captive under duress. Giving details of the case, Robert Girwal, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDOP) Khirkiya, said that a case was immediately registered on Thursday based on the victim’s complaint. After preliminary investigation, the police have rounded up two of the accused. Separate teams have been formed to arrest the remaining two accused, and raids are being conducted at possible locations. The SDOP said that the case is being investigated seriously, and necessary evidence is being collected while the victim’s medical examination is being conducted. A case has been registered against the accused under stringent sections of the law. Questions raised again about the safety of tribal women This incident once again brings to light the horrific reality of the exploitation of tribal women in the name of safety and employment. Cases of women being lured from rural and tribal areas under the pretext of providing employment, being drugged and then subjected to crimes, and subsequently threatened and intimidated, are constantly coming to light. Social organizations say that incidents of crimes against women are increasing in the name of providing work at roadside eateries, brick kilns, and in the unorganized sector, but the system of monitoring and accountability is weak. In a conversation with The Mooknayak, tribal activist Sunil Adivasi said, “The gang rape of a tribal woman in Harda district is not just a single criminal incident, but it shows how insecure women in tribal society are. They are lured under the pretext of providing work and then exploited. This is a failure of the system. In such cases, not only should arrests be made, but the accused should receive the harshest possible punishment, and the victim should receive complete protection and justice. Until there is a strict policy and concrete action on the ground regarding the safety of tribal women, such crimes will not stop.” Tribal Congress attacks the government In a conversation with The Mooknayak, Ramu Tekam, the state president of the Tribal Congress, targeted the BJP government, saying, “The continuous incidents against tribal women in Madhya Pradesh show that law and order have completely collapsed under the BJP government. There is neither security nor sensitivity from the government in tribal areas. Tribal women are being exploited in the name of work and employment, but the government is turning a blind eye. In this case, not only superficial action should be taken, but the accused should be given strict punishment after a trial in a fast-track court, and the victim should be guaranteed justice and security at every level.” Investigation underway, arrests claimed The police say that the identities of the remaining accused are clear and they will be arrested soon. During the investigation, the activities at the roadside eatery, the statements of other people present there, and CCTV footage (if available) are also being examined. Situation alarming in NCRB data Madhya Pradesh has long been a subject of discussion across the country for crimes against women, especially rape cases. The situation did not improve much in 2023 either. The NCRB report shows that the state ranked third in the country in terms of rape incidents. 2,979 cases were registered here within a year. Rajasthan topped the list with 5,078 incidents, while Uttar Pradesh saw 3,516 cases. These figures clearly show that the safety of women in the state remains a major challenge. Although the government has launched several schemes and helpline numbers for the safety of women, their impact at the ground level is very limited. Ankit Pachauri Courtesy: Hindi News