A police constable in Rajasthan was arrested on Sunday for allegedly raping a pregnant Dalit woman under the pretext of recording her statement regarding a complaint, officials confirmed.
According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vinod Kumar Sharma, the woman’s husband filed an FIR on Saturday night against constable Bhagaram, who is posted at Sanganer police station, alleging that he raped his wife in front of their three-year-old son.
Police said Bhagaram took the pregnant woman and her child to a hotel room while her husband was at work. The woman had filed a complaint against her neighbor the previous day. The constable reportedly called her away from home, claiming he needed to record her statement, and then transported her and her child to the hotel on his motorcycle.
At the hotel, Bhagaram allegedly told the staff that the woman needed to change clothes before taking her to a room, where he raped her. When she resisted, he threatened to imprison her husband and warned her against reporting the crime, police said.
“A medical examination of the woman has been conducted,” ACP Sharma confirmed.
The incident has sparked political outrage, with former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot criticizing the BJP government for the law-and-order breakdown.
“This incident in the Chief Minister’s constituency on Women’s Day shows the pathetic state of law and order in Rajasthan,” Gehlot posted on X.
He demanded that the government dismiss the accused constable and ensure punishment under the Case Officer Scheme to make the case an example and prevent future police atrocities.
