NSUI holds candle march in Delhi over gang rape of 16-year-old girl on sleeper bus at Kashmere Gate

New Delhi [India], September 2 (ANI): The National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress party, on Tuesday held a candle march to protest the horrific gang rape of a 16-year-old girl inside a moving sleeper bus near the Kashmere Gate area.
In a post on X, the NSUI stated that the protest was organised to demand justice for the victim and strict action against the culprits. The Congress student wing also criticised the governance of the ruling BJP in the national capital, asserting that the government's grand claims regarding women's safety have proven to be hollow.
"The rape incident involving a 16-year-old student in the country's capital, Delhi, has shamed humanity. Today, NSUI held a candle march demanding justice for the victim and strict action against the culprits. The BJP government's grand claims on women's safety are proving hollow, when even the daughters of Delhi are not safe," said NSUI.
Alongside the NSUI, other civil society organisations also held a candle march against the Kashmere Gate incident. Members of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) held a protest march under the banner 'Women Reclaim the Night', demanding concrete steps to ensure women's safety and address their concerns.
Speaking to ANI, an SFI member highlighted that despite women constituting 50 per cent of the population, none of them feels safe stepping out of their houses at night.
The student leader further stated that the protest was being staged at Delhi University to oppose the hostile atmosphere created during the DUSU elections, alleging that an environment of hooliganism fueled by money and muscle power leaves women feeling unsafe and poses a continuous threat to their security.
"This protest is called 'Women Reclaim the Night'. Women make up 50% of the population, yet we do not even have one percent of the right to step out safely at night. When we do venture out to claim that right, we are often stopped right at the start. Even if we do manage to go out, it is extremely unsafe for us. We face horrific incidents... This protest is taking place at Delhi University because of the atmosphere that develops during DUSU elections--an environment of hooliganism and politics driven by money and muscle power. This makes women feel unsafe and poses a threat to our security. The very same goons who come to campaign are the ones who scale college walls, trespass into girls' hostels, and harass female students--even sexually harassing them. Given their involvement, it was crucial to take a stand at Delhi University. We wanted to send a clear message: you cannot make our campus unsafe. We are reclaiming this campus from you; we have as much right to it as you do, and we will ensure that everyone here remains safe..." said protestor.
Earlier, a 16-year-old student from Uttar Pradesh was allegedly subjected to a brutal gang-rape aboard a moving sleeper bus that travelled nearly 47 kilometres across the national capital region before the suspects abandoned her near a major transit terminal, police said.
The incident reportedly occurred on the night of August 4 in a sleeper bus in the Kashmere Gate area. The police have arrested the bus driver, Kuldeep, and the conductor, Sandeep, in connection with the case.
According to police sources, the victim is a Class 11 student hailing from the Mainpuri district of Uttar Pradesh.
As per the victim, the driver and conductor subsequently raped her and threatened to kill her when she resisted. The accused dropped the victim off on the Ring Road near the Kashmere Gate bus terminal late at night and fled the scene. A terrified student contacted the Kashmere Gate police and reported the entire incident. Police have arrested both accused individuals from a bus parking lot in Timarpur and seized the sleeper bus used in the crime.
Following the incident, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident. NHRC issued notices to the Police Commissioners of Delhi and Gautam Budh Nagar and the Superintendent of Police, Mainpuri, seeking a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.
According to the NHRC, the report is expected to include the status of the investigation and details of compensation, if any, paid to the victim. The Commission said that if the allegations reported in the media are found to be true, they raise serious issues of human rights violations.
The Police Commissioners of Delhi and Gautam Budh Nagar and the Mainpuri Superintendent of Police have been asked to submit the detailed reports within two weeks. The reports will also indicate the progress of the investigation into the allegations and whether any compensation has been provided to the victim. (ANI)