Three Men Arrested in India for Alleged Gang-Rape of Foreign Tourist

Three men have been arrested for the alleged gang rape of a foreign tourist and the assault of her husband. This case underscores the country's longstanding struggle to curb sexual violence against women. The couple, who had been travelling by motorcycle from West Bengal to neighbouring Nepal, were discovered late Friday by patrolling police officers, according to Pitambar Singh Kherwar, superintendent of Dumka district police in Jharkhand state.

The couple was taken to a hospital, where the woman reported that she had been raped. The police are aware of the identities of the wanted suspects and have formed a special investigative team, Kherwar said. It is unclear whether the three arrested suspects have legal representation.

The female victim's name is not being disclosed, in accordance with Indian law that prohibits the naming of victims of sexual violence. The names or nationalities of the couple have not been disclosed by the police.

The arrests occurred after a travel vlogger couple posted on their Instagram account on Saturday that they had been attacked in India, with the woman stating that she had been raped and taken to the hospital for DNA testing. The couple posts in Spanish, and the woman identifies herself as Brazilian on her Instagram page.

In their Instagram story, the woman displayed bruises on her face, stating, "This is what my face looks like, but it isn't what hurts the most. I thought I was going to die." In a follow-up post on Sunday, the couple thanked their followers for their support, stating that they are doing well and that "the police are doing everything possible to catch" the remaining suspects.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) in India has condemned the alleged attack. NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma has spoken to the victim and extended all necessary assistance, as posted on social platform X on Saturday.

Jharkhand minister Mithilesh Kumar Thakur described the alleged assault as a "condemnable incident." He stated on Saturday, "If a crime has been committed, the culprits will not be spared."

India has grappled for years with high rates of violence against women, with numerous high-profile rape cases involving foreign visitors drawing international attention to the issue. According to the National Crime Records Bureau in India, a total of 31,516 rape cases were recorded in 2022, averaging 86 cases per day.

Experts caution that the number of recorded cases represents only a small fraction of the actual number, in a deeply patriarchal country where shame and stigma surround rape victims and their families. Under current laws, it is still not a crime for a man to force sex or sexual acts on his wife, provided she is over 18.

One of the most notorious cases in recent years in India was the 2012 NIRBHAYA gang rape, a medical student who was beaten, tortured, and left to die following a brutal attack on a public bus in New Delhi. The case and subsequent nationwide protests drew international media attention and prompted authorities to enact legal reforms. The rape law was amended in 2013 to broaden the definition of the crime and set strict punishments not only for rape but also for sexual assault, voyeurism, and stalking.

Despite these changes, rape cases remain prevalent in the country, with victims and advocates asserting that the government is still not doing enough to protect women and punish attackers.