Adivasi Congress president Vikrant Bhuria termed the incident as “Adivasi Nirbhaya case”. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
A day after a 45-year-old tribal woman died after she was allegedly brutally gang raped in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa, the Congress on Monday (May 26, 2025) launched a scathing attack at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the State was turning into India’s “rape capital”.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Vikrant Bhuria, Adivasi Congress president, termed the incident as “Adivasi Nirbhaya case”, linking it with the infamous Nirbhaya case in 2012 in the national capital.
Mr. Bhuria, an MLA from M.P.’s Jhabua, also targeted M.P. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who also holds the Home portfolio, saying that the law and order in the State has gone “completely out of control”.
“Ever since, the Chief Minister has been handling the Home Department, the State has seen an 18% in rape cases. This figure was given in response to a question in the State Assembly,” Mr. Bhuria said, claiming that 26 percent victims of the total reported rape cases are from the tribal community.
According to the police, the incident took place on May 23 night in Khandwa’s Eitwa village under Roshni police outpost area after the victim attended a wedding in her neighbourhood and that two men, both neighbours of the victim, have been arrested in the matter.
Superintendent of Police, Khandwa, Manoj Kumar Rai told The Hindu that after the wedding, the victim and the accused were returning together and one of the accused, Hari Palvi, took them to his house where the two raped her brutally. The other accused has been identified as Sunil Korku.
Mr. Rai said that the accused were so brutal in the act that parts of the woman’s small intestine had come out of her body and she was bleeding excessively. He, however, said that it was not yet confirmed what they had inserted in her private parts.
Additional SP Raghuvanshi said that Hari’s mother had first seen the woman on May 24 morning lying injured after which she informed the victim’s family.
“The family took the victim home but police were only informed after her death around 2.30 p.m.,” he said.
Mr. Bhuria took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled May 31 visit to Bhopal to attend a women’s conference and asked Mr. Modi to ensure that the State gets a “full time” home minister.
“The CM is not able to handle the Home Department,” he said.
“Look at the irony… in the state where the maximum crimes against women are taking place – rapes are happening, a ‘Maha Mahila Sammelan’ is being organised for women,” he said, asking Mr. Modi to ensure women’s safety in M.P.
Mr. Bhuria also took a dig at the BJP government over its decision to close liquor shops in prominent religious places while alleging that it has “no control over the liquor mafia”.
“The drama of sharab bandi (liquor ban) is done but the BJP government of the State has no control over liquor mafias and criminals. Madhya Pradesh is becoming a rape capital and liquor capital,” he said.
Mr. Bhruia said that the doctors who performed a post mortem on the victim’s body were also shocked to see her condition.
“When the victim’s 16-year-old daughter had fainted after seeing her mother. Imagine the condition of the girl,” he said.
Mr. Rai also said that he has issued orders for a paced up probe and special monitoring of the case.
Earlier in April, three minor girls and a woman of the tribal community were allegedly gang raped by seven men when they were returning from a wedding in Balaghat district.
Published – May 27, 2025 05:29 am IST