Death of second Dalit woman in a week sparks clashes in India
October 01, 2020
Clashes erupted in India as another woman belonging to the lowest rung of the country’s caste system was allegedly raped and killed on Thursday.
The 22-year-old, who died on Tuesday, was dragged into a vehicle when she was going to apply for admission at a local school and was allegedly raped, her mother told the Indian media.
On Tuesday, a 19-year old Dalit woman died at a hospital in New Delhi, weeks after she said she was raped by a group of men, causing protests to erupt in the city.
Both the victims succumbed to their injuries on Tuesday, however, the local media covered the news on Thursday after heavy criticism on social media over rampant sexual assault and caste violence in India.
Local journalist Saurabh Mishra told the BBC that there was a heavy contingent of police deployed in Balrampur followed by the second rape case.
"While officials are not confirming whether the victim was raped, they have also not denied the family's allegation," he added.
India is the one of the world’s most dangerous countries for women, with a rape occurring every 15 minutes, according to federal data — figures that rights groups say vastly underestimate the scale of the problem.
