All India Mahila Congress (AIMC) president Ms. Alka Lamba today expressed deep concern over the deteriorating safety of women in India, highlighting distressing figures from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) which show a surge in crimes against women and a high rate of acquittals for the accused.
Delay in Treatment Led to Death of Minor Rape Survivor in Bihar
Addressing the media at the AICC headquarters alongside Congress leader Ms. Garima Mehra, Ms. Lamba strongly criticized the JDU-BJP government in Bihar for its handling of the case involving a 9-year-old rape victim in Muzaffarpur.
She alleged that the child’s condition worsened due to a delay in transferring her to Patna for advanced medical care, a delay reportedly caused by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state. According to Lamba, the child’s transfer was held back until the PM’s departure, which critically affected her chances of survival.
Rise in Acquittals Due to Weak Investigations, Political Interference
Ms. Lamba accused the BJP-JDU alliance in Bihar of fostering a climate of impunity, where perpetrators of sexual violence feel emboldened due to political protection. Citing NCRB statistics from 2020 to 2022, she pointed out that a vast majority of rape and sexual assault trials ended in acquittals.
In 2022, out of 18,517 trials, only 5,067 led to convictions, while 12,086 ended in acquittals.
In 2021, out of 11,783 cases, just 3,368 saw convictions, while 7,745 accused were acquitted.
Similarly, in 2020, 3,814 convictions were recorded out of 9,713 trials, with 5,403 acquittals.
Ankita Bhandari Case: Congress Questions Destruction of Evidence
Congress leader Ms. Garima Mehra from Uttarakhand raised serious questions about the investigation into the murder of Ankita Bhandari, who was killed at a resort owned by former BJP minister Vinod Arya.
While the party welcomed the sentencing in the case, Mehra argued that the punishment could have been more severe had the prosecution presented a stronger case.
She alleged that vital evidence was destroyed in the early days of the investigation. The section of the resort where Ankita lived was bulldozed on the Chief Minister’s orders, which she claimed was a deliberate act to eliminate proof. Additionally, Ankita’s bedding was allegedly found in the resort’s pool, possibly to wash away forensic evidence.
Congress Demands Accountability and Systemic Reforms
Both leaders called for a complete overhaul of the investigation process in crimes against women and demanded accountability from state and central authorities. They emphasized that unless political interference ends and investigations are handled professionally, justice will remain elusive for many victims.
