Jaipur- The recent surge in crimes against women in Rajasthan has sparked widespread concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. The opposition has accused the Bhajanlal Sharma-led BJP government of failing to ensure the safety of women, citing multiple incidents of assault, rape, and blackmail that have shaken the conscience of the public.
This report delves into the alarming incidents from Sanganer to Bijaynagar, highlighting the systemic failures and the political uproar in the state assembly.
In a shocking incident that unfolded in Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma’s own constituency, Sanganer, a pregnant Dalit woman was allegedly raped by a police constable in front of her three-year-old son. The incident occurred on March 9, 2024, just a day after International Women’s Day, casting a dark shadow over the state’s claims of women’s empowerment.
The accused, Constable Bhagaram, was assigned to the Sanganer police station. He allegedly lured the woman under the pretext of recording her statement regarding a complaint filed by her husband against a neighbor.
Bhagaram took the woman and her child to a hotel room, where he raped her while threatening her with dire consequences if she reported the crime.
The woman’s husband filed an FIR, leading to the constable’s arrest. However, the incident has exposed the vulnerability of women, even in the presence of law enforcement.
Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot condemned the incident, calling it a reflection of the BJP government’s failure to maintain law and order. He demanded the immediate dismissal of the accused constable and swift justice under the Case Officer Scheme.
The opposition has accused the government of prioritizing events like the IIFA Awards over addressing critical issues of women’s safety.
In the state assembly, opposition leaders, including Tikaram Jully, raised the issue, but their voices were allegedly suppressed, with microphones being turned off during debates.
Leader of Opposition, Tika Ram Jully condemned the incident. He said, "Protectors have become predators in the state" If the protectors have become predators in the state, how will the sisters and daughters remain safe? The incident of rape of a pregnant Dalit woman by a policeman in front of her 3-year-old son in Sanganer, the assembly constituency of the Chief Minister, is a picture of the poor law and order situation in the state. On Women's Day, the Chief Minister uploaded videos with successful women in various fields on his social media and listened to their success stories and tried to do his PR through this, which is an attempt to hide the deteriorating law and order situation in the state."
The Bijaynagar rape and blackmail case has reopened the wounds of the infamous 1992 Ajmer rape scandal, where over 100 school and college girls were systematically targeted, raped, and blackmailed by a group of men.
On February 15, 2025, a case emerged in Ajmer's Bijaynagar involving the rape and blackmail of minor girls from a private school. The accused allegedly lured the girls with mobile phones and forced them into sexual acts, later blackmailing them with explicit photos and videos.
The victims were reportedly pressured to adopt certain religious practices and convert, adding a communal angle to the crime.
Among the 14 accused are a former independent councilor, Hakim Quraishi, and three minors. Eleven accused have been arrested while minors were sent to juvenile correction home. The police have invoked the POCSO Act and other relevant sections to investigate the case.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the case. The investigation team will work under the supervision of the DIG of Ajmer Range. According to the victim, the accused also forced her to recite the Kalma and convert her religion.
After the case gained attention, protests erupted in several areas of Rajasthan. Large-scale demonstrations were held demanding strict action against the accused.
Adding to the growing list of atrocities, a minor girl was gang-raped in Bhilwara’s Pratapnagar area on March 8, 2025. The accused, Abdul Qadir, allegedly committed the crime with the help of his wife, Saniya. The couple threatened the victim’s family with death if they reported the incident.
Both cases involved the exploitation of young girls through manipulation and blackmail.
In the Ajmer case, the perpetrators used wealth and false promises to trap their victims, while in Bijaynagar, mobile phones were used as tools of exploitation.
The Ajmer case saw convictions, but many accused were later acquitted, raising questions about the efficacy of the justice system.
The cases of rape of minor girls in Rajasthan are continuously increasing, highlighting the alarming state of women's safety and law and order in the state.
Data from the past few years and months underscore the severity of this grave issue. In November 2023, 90 cases of rape of minors were reported, which increased to 107 in October 2024 and further rose to 114 in November 2024.
Thus, within just one year, there has been an increase of 24 cases. Meanwhile, cases registered under the POCSO Act have also shown a year-on-year rise. Between January and November 2024, 2,065 cases were registered, compared to 1,982 in 2023 and 1,933 in 2022.
These statistics not only reflect the growing trend of sexual crimes against minors in the state but also expose the claims of safety made by the police and administration. Immediate action and strict measures are needed to ensure justice for minor girls and prevent such incidents in the future.
The opposition has termed the BJP government’s approach to women’s safety as “lackadaisical.
The suppression of opposition voices in the assembly, coupled with the government’s focus on public relations rather than ground-level action, has further fueled public anger. The incidents in Sanganer, Bijaynagar, and Bhilwara are not isolated but indicative of a larger systemic failure.
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