New Delhi: anger grows over spate of child rapes
Police and government accused of not taking the attacks seriously enough

A succession of alleged child rapes in New Delhi has prompted angry demands for the authorities to do more to stop them.
In recent days, three very young girls have allegedly been raped in the city. A two-year-old was abducted in front of her house in western Delhi, taken to a park and raped, according to deputy police commissioner Pushpendar Kumar.
In separate cases, a five-year-old was allegedly raped in eastern Delhi on Friday night just days after a four-year-old was also allegedly raped in the capital. Police have made arrests in all three cases.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
However, there is widespread concern that the authorities are not taking the problem seriously enough, reports CNN. Yesterday, Delhi's chief minister Arvind Kejriwal slammed prime minister Narendra Modi for his "silence" over the attacks.
Demanding to be handed direct responsibility for the Delhi police service, which currently reports to the prime minister, he said: "I will not remain silent. We will not allow the prime minister to sleep peacefully if women in Delhi do not get proper safety and the present trend of rapes continues."
Over the weekend, student groups held a protest in front of the Delhi police headquarters, condemning police for their "inefficiency" and demanding an end to "rape culture".
An appalling case involving the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in 2012 in Delhi led to demonstrations and new anti-rape laws in the country. The government doubled the maximum prison term for rape to 20 years and created special courts to prosecute cases more quickly.
Official data shows India recorded 13,766 cases of rapes on minors last year. Of those, more than 1,000 cases were reported in New Delhi.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why does the U.S. need China's rare earth metals?
Today's Big Question Beijing has a 'near monopoly' on tech's raw materials
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
When did divorce begin?
The Explaine Couples have always split up, but the institution has undergone major changes over the years
By David Faris
-
What are your retirement savings account options?
The explainer The two main types of accounts are 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs)
By Becca Stanek, The Week US
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
By Abby Wilson
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff
-
Why Assad fell so fast
The Explainer The newly liberated Syria is in an incredibly precarious position, but it's too soon to succumb to defeatist gloom
By The Week UK