On Friday, March 29th, a Spanish biker woman was allegedly raped and her husband was brutally beaten by seven men in the Dumka district of Jharkhand. This incident quickly went viral on social media after the survivor and her husband shared their ordeal in a video on Instagram.
Gangrape of Spanish Woman Biker
The incident occurred in Kurumahat areas under Hansdiha police station which is around 300 km from the state capital Ranchi.
The police were informed about the incident around 11 pm when a woman stopped the patrolling van police near the forest area of Dumba- Bhagalpur road and asked for help. She and her husband were immediately taken to the hospital, and sexual assault was confirmed after a medical examination.
The woman and her husband were taken to Saraiyahat Community Health Centre first, and now are getting treated at Phulo Jhano Medical College and Hospital in Dumka, Dumka Civil Surgeon Baccha Prasad Singh told PTI.
“The medical examination of the victim will be done by a medical board comprising three gynecologists, a radiologist, an orthopedic, and a dentist, headed by the superintendent of the medical college, Dr Anupuran Purti,” the civil surgeon added.
Investigation
Dumka SP Pitamber Singh stated that all accused aged between 20 and 30, have been identified, and four have been arrested. Meanwhile, one of the four accused confessed to the crime. The accused arrested are Rajan Marandi, Pradeep Kisku, and Sukhlal Hembram.
“The couple has been kept at a secured location following medio-legal procedures. Their statements are being recorded before the magistrate under section 164 of the CrPC,” said Dumka Deputy Commissioner Anjaneyulu Dodde.
Outrage on Social Media
As the video went viral on the internet, it caused outrage on social media. But the real outrage began when US journalist David Josef Volodzko shared his experience in response to this rape case.
“The level of sexual aggression I witnessed while living in India for several years was unlike anywhere else I have ever been. Once a total stranger, a British woman, asked to sleep in my bed and pretend to be my girlfriend on a train ride because a man walking by in the hall had licked her foot and she felt unsafe,” said David Josef Volodzko on the platform X.
To which National Commission for Women’s chairperson, Rekha Sharma responded by victim blaming and criticised the journalist.
Celebrating Rapist and Shaming Victim – Real India?!
While the news of the gangrape of a Spanish woman gets all the attention, going viral on the internet, news of two minor girls’ gangrape in UP’s Kanpur gets conveniently ignored.
Ashish Mishra wrote on platform X, that the reason for this is because it happened to tourists that can spoil the constructed image of India’s progress, only that matters to elites above much else.
“Change the victim to another Indian and where we are is that the seven rapists could be garlanded if they have political patronage. Support marches could also be held. If they don’t have political patronage or are Muslims, maybe their houses will be brought down by bulldozers and justice served. Or they could be killed when their car overturns magically. That’s real India,” Mishra added.
About the Couple
A woman and her husband of Brazilian national were touring South Asia. They have traveled to Pakistan and Bangladesh and entered India via West Bengal. They were heading to Bihar and Nepal.
Around 5 pm on Friday, the couple reached Dumka and set up their tent in the forest, seven men attacked them.
Also Read : 2 minor girls found hanged to a tree, family alleged blackmail and gangrape
