Prime Minister Narendra Modi was urgently briefed on the alleged gangrape of a 19-year-old woman upon arriving in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi to launch development projects. The Uttar Pradesh government stated that Modi directed officials to ensure the “strictest possible action” and implement measures to prevent such incidents.

The victim, a commerce student, went missing on March 29. Her family, fearing stigma, initially searched privately but filed a police complaint on April 3. She was found the next day in a traumatized condition. According to her father, the young woman was repeatedly drugged and gangraped, pointing to a premeditated crime.

So far, nine men have been arrested and sent to judicial custody. A total of 23 individuals have been named, including 11 unidentified suspects. The victim's father has urged for justice not execution, but a punishment harsh enough to deter such heinous acts.