The alleged gang-rape of a 16-year-old girl inside a moving sleeper bus in the Delhi-NCR region has triggered sharp political reactions, with leaders across parties condemning the crime and calling for stringent action against the accused.
The teenager was allegedly assaulted on August 4 while travelling on a sleeper bus near Pari Chowk in Greater Noida. According to the police, the driver and conductor of the bus have been arrested in connection with the case. The incident came to light nearly a month after it allegedly occurred.
The Congress launched a strong attack over the incident, describing it as “shocking” and questioning the law and order situation in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. In a post on X on Monday, the party alleged that the absence of adequate patrolling and checking had allowed such a crime to take place.
The party also criticised the BJP governments in both Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, claiming that the incident exposed shortcomings in measures aimed at ensuring women’s safety.AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj also targeted the Delhi government over the case. In a video posted on X, he alleged that the teenager had boarded the bus after leaving home following a disagreement with her mother and later became a victim of sexual assault.Bharadwaj also referred to other alleged cases involving crimes against minors and questioned the government’s response to such incidents.
BJP MP Navneet Rana condemned the crime as well and called for severe punishment for those found guilty. Speaking to ANI, she said people responsible for such crimes should face swift punishment and argued that lengthy legal proceedings should not delay justice.
Rana went further by calling for public execution of those convicted, saying there should be no prolonged trials or delays.Teenager Was Travelling to Meet Her CousinPolice said the girl, who is from Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh, had left her home after being scolded by her mother over her studies. She was reportedly on her way to Noida Sector 63 to meet her cousin.During heavy rain, she mistakenly got down at Pari Chowk in Greater Noida. Police said she then boarded a sleeper bus after the conductor allegedly told her that the vehicle was headed towards Noida Sector 63.The teenager alleged that once the bus began moving, the driver and conductor sexually assaulted her and threatened her with death if she resisted.According to the police, the accused later abandoned her at Kashmere Gate in Delhi before fleeing from the spot. Both the driver and conductor were subsequently arrested.
The case has drawn comparisons with the 2012 Delhi gang-rape, in which a woman was assaulted inside a moving bus in the national capital. That case led to widespread protests and prompted significant public and political debate over sexual violence and women’s safety in India.