An 11-year-old girl was trafficked and gang raped by over 12 men in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar for five consecutive days. The girl was trafficked by an auto driver, who handed the minor to men residing in local hotels for a weighed price. The girl was found by the city police on June 23rd, 2026. The case sparked several protests and sit-in rallies by citizens seeking immediate justice.
The minor girl went missing on the 18th of June after she was allegedly kidnapped by an auto driver who lured her into safety by taking her to a local inn in the Housing Boarding area. The very day, the parents of the child filed a complaint in person to the police.
According to the report of the investigating officer, the girl had gone to meet her friend in Vijaynagar, after which she had booked an electric auto for her return from the bus stand. The auto driver had lured the minor into accompanying him to a hotel, under the pretence of running errands, where the minor was sedated and taken advantage of. From the time spanning from the missing date till June 21st, the girl was trafficked by the driver across multiple local hotels across Sri Ganganagar, where she was physically assaulted and gang raped by multiple men for five continuous days. Hotel Sapphire, Hotel Joy Inn, and Hotel Khunagar are three of the alleged hotels as per the current media outlets.
On June 23rd, after a vehement search operation, the Girl was located, rescued from the unnamed hotel and taken to the hospital. The minor confessed to how she was held captive, with the hotel manager and operator summoning men to sexually violate her for money. She claimed that the crime carried on even during daytime, with alcohol forcefully induced into her system to nullify the pain.
By the time of her rescue, almost 12- 14 people had been arrested in connection with the case, although the numbers vary as the case still proceeds. The auto driver, identified as Rambabu, managers of all three hotels, one named Hardeep Nath, and the owners of two hotels have been arrested, with one still absconding. Many other men who have been involved in the sexual crime, beyond an estimate and name, have been taken into custody. The officer in charge also revealed that the hotels charged all the men ‘different amounts’ for carrying out the abuse based on ‘their looks’.
The alleged hotels were soon faced with demolition orders for the violation of building laws and illegal establishment. The police officers, along with the district officers and administrators, oversaw the destruction of the establishments. However, speculation regarding whether the action was executed based on law or in retaliation for the crime has been circulating.
Many political parties and women’s empowerment groups are holding protests and sit-in rallies in front of district collectorates and related authoritative powers demanding stringent action against the crime and immediate deliverance of justice without flaw and delay. District president and Karanpur MLA, Rupinder Singh Kunnar, along with several other party leaders, held sit-in protests and raised slogans in the absence of the police and hotel operators. The National Commission for Women (NCW) put forth a directive towards the investigation authorities for the immediate filing of a charge sheet before the court proceeding as to ensure justice is not delayed.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) hired for the case has ordered the District Magistrate to further investigate illegal hotels and establishments across the place, and the immediate fulfilment of protocol within 15 days. The commission addressed the fallacy of such illegal establishments and unregulated hospitality and lodging enforcement in isolated areas for probing such criminal offences.
Misinformation and fake media allegations have been ordered to be taken down promptly. The alleged number of 30 men was noted as a misinterpretation, and the number reaching up to 12 as the minor does not recall the estimate. An alleged fake video showcasing police tying up the accused and parading them on the street was traced to be from a different incident and not from Rajasthan. The Rajasthan Police has ordered strict penalties for the circulation of fake death videos of the minor.
Legal proceedings and further investigation are along the way. The matter is currently being handled by the SIT along with many other administrative officers. Political parties and women's groups have been probing the authorities from the side, so as the case does not to delay justice for the victim. According to a News outlet, the minor’s alleged friend Gurjeet, whom she went to meet, is also under suspicion as a main participant of the crime. The criminals have been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO) and the Juvenile Justice Act.
References:
- Sri Ganganagar gangrape case: Police say viral video from UP, not Rajasthan; outrage mounts | Jaipur News - The Indian Express
- NCW Seeks Time-Bound Action, Accountability In Rajasthan Minor Gang Rape And Trafficking Case
- Probe finds hotels charged Rs 1,000-1,800 from ‘customers’ for girl trafficked in Sri Ganganagar | Jaipur News - The Indian Express
- Three Hotels Demolished In Sri Ganganagar For Aiding In Minor's Gang Rape
- 13-Year-Old Girl Trafficked, Gang-Raped By 30 Men At Hotel In Rajasthan's Sri Ganganagar | Times Now
- NCW seeks time-bound action in Sri Ganganagar minor gang rape, trafficking case; demands accountability
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