India
oi-Ashish Rana
The deaths of two sisters in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district have sparked widespread outrage after allegations of years of gang-rape, blackmail and police inaction emerged from the case. The younger sister allegedly died by suicide nearly two months after her elder sibling ended her life, with the family claiming repeated pleas for justice were ignored.
Following allegations of gang-rape, blackmail, and police inaction in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, two sisters died; the elder by suicide on March 20 after alleged exploitation by Mahipal and others, and the younger on Friday after facing threats; Mahipal and one other accused are detained.
The incident has triggered protests in the region, with members of the Rajput community demanding strict action against the accused as well as accountability from the police officials handling the case.
Elder Sister Allegedly Exploited For Four Years
According to a police complaint filed on April 11 by the younger sister, the elder sibling had been trapped by Mahipal, an operator of a local e-Mitra service centre, who allegedly recorded obscene videos of her secretly.
In the complaint, the woman accused eight men, including Mahipal, Shivraj, Gopal, Vijaram, Dinesh, Manoj and Pukhraj, of gang-raping her sister and threatening her repeatedly.
She alleged that Mahipal and his associates blackmailed the victim for nearly four years, exploiting her and extorting money by threatening to leak the videos. Unable to bear the harassment any longer, the elder sister allegedly died by suicide on March 20.
The younger sibling had also warned authorities that she too would take the extreme step if justice was not delivered.
Although an FIR was registered following her complaint, the family alleged that no meaningful action was taken against the accused for weeks.
Younger Sister Alleged Threats Continued Even After FIR
The younger sister later claimed that after her sibling’s death, the accused began targeting her as well. She alleged that the men sexually assaulted her and threatened to release her sister’s videos publicly if she spoke out.
According to the complaint, the accused openly threatened her even after the FIR was lodged and allegedly boasted that the police would not act against them.
In an attempt to draw attention to her demands, the woman climbed atop a water tank on Friday and insisted that the accused be arrested immediately. During the protest, she consumed poison and died while she was being taken to hospital.
Protest Erupts Outside Hospital
The deaths of the two sisters led to massive anger among members of the Rajput community in the area. A large crowd gathered outside the MDM Hospital mortuary in protest after the younger woman’s death.
Following initial resistance, the family eventually agreed to a post-mortem examination.
Hanuman Singh Khangta, president of the Marwar Rajput Society, accused the police of shielding the accused throughout the investigation. He said police failure had ultimately cost both sisters their lives.
The community has demanded immediate arrests in the case along with strict disciplinary action against police personnel accused of negligence.
Police Detain Two Accused
Jodhpur Superintendent of Police PD Nitya said that Mahipal and another accused have been detained and that the process of arresting them is underway.
Police have also assured that a departmental inquiry will be conducted against the officials concerned over allegations of negligence in handling the matter.
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