In an incident that is a blot on Gujarat’s psyche, a 29-year-old man allegedly raped his adult sister twice. Reports claimed that he even burned her with cigarettes. The incident occurred in Bhavnagar, police told media outlets.
The accused, a married man working as a driver, allegedly exploited his knowledge of his sister’s three-year relationship with a man from their village to blackmail and manipulate her. Aware of the relationship, the 22-year-old victim’s brother reportedly used this information to intimidate and control her, ultimately leading to repeated assaults, according to police.
Reports added that he was furious against his adult sister’s consensual relationship.
The first assault reportedly occurred on July 13, when the accused’s wife was away visiting her parents. According to police, he threatened his sister with a knife before allegedly raping her. The second assault reportedly took place on August 22, while his wife was again absent, this time for personal reasons. In both instances, the victim was alone at home with the accused.
During the second assault, the accused allegedly pressed a lit cigarette onto his sister’s right thigh, leaving visible burn marks.
The victim reported the abuse — she contacted the state’s women’s helpline and disclosed the assaults. It prompted swift intervention by authorities and the filing of a formal complaint with the Bhavnagar police.
The police arrested the accused and conducted medical examinations of both him and the victim. Authorities have recovered the knife allegedly used during the assaults along with the clothes worn by the accused at the time.
Further investigation into the case is underway.
Recently, a story emerged that a college student from Gujarat’s Banaskantha district was allegedly repeatedly raped by seven people for nearly 16 months after being blackmailed with her nude video.
In 2022-23, according to data the state government presented in the assembly, Gujarat reported an average of six rape cases per day.
Recently, invoking the “rarest of rare” doctrine, which guides the awarding of capital punishment in the most heinous crimes, the Ankleshwar Additional Sessions Court sentenced a 36-year-old man to death by hanging for the rape and murder of a 10-year-old girl in December 2024.
Yet, even in the face of capital punishment, cases continue to emerge in Gujarat where individuals commit acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse, often against those most vulnerable.
