Delhi horror revives Nirbhaya memories as woman allegedly gang-raped in moving bus

Nearly 14 years after the brutal 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape shook the country and triggered sweeping reforms in India’s sexual assault laws, another alleged rape inside a moving bus in Delhi has revived painful memories of the case and renewed questions over women’s safety in the national capital.

A 30-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped inside a moving sleeper bus on Monday night while travelling through parts of west Delhi, police said. Two accused — identified as bus driver Umesh and conductor Ramendra — have been arrested and sent to judicial custody.

According to investigators, the woman, who works at a factory in Mangolpuri and lives in Pitampura, was waiting near the B-block bus stand in the Saraswati Vihar area when a Bihar-registered sleeper bus stopped nearby.

Police said the woman approached a man standing near the vehicle to ask for the time, following which she was allegedly forcibly pulled inside the bus.

Investigators said the bus then continued moving towards Nangloi while the woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by two men inside the vehicle.

A police officer involved in the probe said the sleeper bus had curtains covering its windows, making it difficult for outsiders to notice what was happening inside.

The woman was later allegedly abandoned near Nangloi Metro station after the bus stopped there. She subsequently contacted police, who shifted her to Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital for medical examination.

An FIR has been registered under gang rape charges and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Opposition draws parallels with Nirbhaya case

The incident has triggered sharp political reactions, with opposition leaders comparing it to the December 2012 Nirbhaya case, in which a 23-year-old medical student was brutally gang-raped and assaulted inside a moving private bus in south Delhi.

The assault had sparked nationwide protests and led to major legal reforms relating to crimes against women.

Sanjay Singh drew parallels between the two incidents and questioned the state of women’s safety in Delhi.

“A gang rape inside a moving bus, a repetition of the Nirbhaya case… Is this the state of security in the national capital? Is this the safety being provided to women and girls?” Singh said.

The latest incident has once again brought focus on the effectiveness of safety measures introduced after the Nirbhaya case, including stricter rape laws, enhanced policing and surveillance mechanisms in public transport systems.