A 19-year-old woman was allegedly abducted and gang raped by two men in the early hours of Friday, February 28, 2025, in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri district, police reported on Saturday. The horrific assault occurred in the Bairad police station area, approximately 50 kilometers from the district headquarters, spotlighting ongoing concerns about women’s safety in rural India.

According to Station House Officer Shiv Singh Yadav, the incident unfolded around 1:00 AM when the woman stepped outside her home to relieve herself—a necessity driven by the lack of indoor sanitation in many villages. One of the accused abducted her and took her to a nearby location owned by the second suspect, where both men allegedly sexually assaulted her. The victim managed to escape and return home, where she confided in her family. Her relatives promptly reported the crime, leading to the arrest of both accused by Saturday morning, March 1. A case has been registered against the duo under charges of abduction, gang rape, and intimidation under the Indian Penal Code.

The swift police response marks a notable departure from past criticisms of delayed action in similar cases in Madhya Pradesh, a state that has grappled with high rates of crimes against women. The National Crime Records Bureau previously ranked Madhya Pradesh as having the highest number of such incidents in 2021, a trend that continues to raise alarm. While the identities and motives of the accused remain undisclosed, the incident underscores vulnerabilities tied to inadequate infrastructure, like sanitation, which disproportionately endanger women in rural areas.