Late-night parties may lead to rape: Posters sponsored by Gujarat cops
AHMEDABAD: A police-sponsored poster campaign to dispense safety tips to women in Ahmedabad has sparked outrage with what many see as "sexist" and "alarmist" messaging, including a warning in big, bold letters: "Attending late-night parties could invite rape or gang rape".
The police brass has since had the posters removed, acknowledging that the content - a second poster says, 'Do not venture with friends into dark, isolated areas. You could be raped or gangraped' - was "unacceptable".
Neeta Desai, DCP (traffic west), and Shailesh Modi, ACP (traffic admin), said an organisation named Satarkta had approached police for permission to put up posters in Gujarati "for traffic awareness".
Police were unaware of the "advice" printed on the posters plastered on dividers in areas like Sola and Chandlodi until a backlash erupted on social media, the ACP said.
You Can Also Check:
Ahmedabad AQI
|
Weather in Ahmedabad
|
Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad
|
Public Holidays in Ahmedabad
"We never approved such language," said his colleague, ACP (traffic) N N Chaudhary.
Ghatlodia resident Bhumi Patel said police should have filtered the content before putting it out. "How could posters with such insensitive messaging that indirectly blame women for sexual violence be allowed to go up under official sanction? What kind of scrutiny was done before permission was given?" she said.
Gaytri Shah, a fitness trainer from Bodakdev, said the posters made a mockery of women's safety, reducing it to moral policing.
"They undermine the very idea of public awareness by peddling fear and control instead of responsibility and protection," she said.
Minal Solanki, a resident of Nehrunagar said the posters "reflect a mindset that blames the victim and absolves institutions of their failure to ensure safety without resorting to fear-mongering."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
In 1996, Kanpur tailor killed an 8-year-old for ransom, then jumped parole. 26 years later, law catches up
In 1996, Raj Kishore, a 25-year-old tailor, was sentenced to life in prison by a sessions court in Karkardooma for the cold-blooded murder of an eight-year-old boy. Three years earlier, he had kidnapped the child, demanding a ransom of Rs 30,000 from the boy's businessman father. The father paid up — but Raj strangled the child and dumped his body in a gutter in Kalyanpuri. He was eventually traced and arrested. After three years in jail, Raj got out on a six-week parole in 1999. But he never came back. In 2014, he was declared a proclaimed offender on the Delhi High Court's directions. Twenty-six years later, his luck ran out. On Saturday, a Delhi Police Crime Branch unit, led by Inspector Mangesh Tyagi and ACP Pankaj Arora, finally nabbed Raj from Ghaziabad. The kidnapping It was in 1990 that Raj came to Delhi from Kanpur, looking for work. After doing odd jobs for about 18 months, he finally landed a gig as a tailor at a small garment factory that belonged to Mohammad Asif, a garment businessman in Kalyanpuri, a police officer said. 'The factory made garments for third-party retailers. There were 10-15 workers at the factory, and Asif knew everyone personally,' the officer said. Asif would often bring his son and his elderly father to the factory. Police said the child would play around, and the workers mingled with him. Police said Raj noticed that, though small, Asif's business was booming — with his garments even being exported to other countries. In 1993, Raj quit and decided to extort Asif. His leverage? Asif's son. On December 15, 1993, Raj lay in wait near Asif's house in Trilokpuri. He finally found the child alone and lured him with an ice cream, the officer said. The next day, police said, Raj called Asif. He did not reveal his identity and demanded Rs 30,000 if he wanted his child back. By evening, police officers said, Asif dropped the cash at the location specified by Raj. Asif kept waiting for his child's return. To his horror, on December 17, Asif was told by the police that his son's body was found — he was killed in a flat in East Delhi's Chilla and dumped in the gutter. 'Raj thought the child would reveal his identity to Asif. So, he murdered him on the night of December 16 and fled,' a police officer said. On the run After jumping parole, Raj moved across North India — Punjab, Jaipur, to Patna — living on the outskirts to avoid detection by the authorities. He avoided Kanpur, as he suspected it would be the first place police would look for him. In 2020, a police officer said, Raj moved to the outskirts of Kanpur. 'The Covid pandemic had struck, and he thought no one would look for him now. So he moved near his village,' the officer said. The arrest Meanwhile, the Delhi Police had begun a vigorous search for proclaimed offenders. Then, in May this year, Head Constable Mintu Yadav received a tip-off regarding a parole jumper — it was none other than Raj. 'It was found that he had been living on the outskirts of Kanpur. A team went to the city and conducted multiple raids, but he managed to escape due to a local supporter in the area,' DCP (Crime) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said. Raj then fled to his son's house in Khoda Colony, Ghaziabad. The police traced him again. On Saturday, he was finally arrested by the Crime Branch team after a two-month-long operation.
NDTV
10 hours ago
- NDTV
Tailor Who Kidnapped, Murdered 8-Year-Old Held After 26 Years In Delhi
New Delhi: A man convicted of kidnapping and murdering an eight-year-old boy in 1993 has been arrested by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police after evading law for over 26 years, an official said on Sunday. The accused, identified as Raj Kishore (55) alias Bade Lalla, a resident of Kanpur Dehat in Uttar Pradesh, was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996 for the brutal murder of a businessman's son. "He was later granted a six-week parole by the Delhi High Court in 1999 but he never returned to prison," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said. The officer further mentioned that after several years of evasion and being declared a proclaimed offender in 2014, Kishore was finally apprehended from Ghaziabad's Khoda Colony on August 2. According to the police, the incident occurred on December 28, 1993, when Kishore and his associate abducted the son of a garment factory owner from Kalyanpuri. The accused then demanded a ransom of Rs 30,000 from the child's father, promising the boy's safe return. However, after receiving the money, the accused strangled the child and dumped his body in a drain in the Kalyanpuri area, the police said. "The case was registered at the Kalyanpuri Police Station. Following investigation and trial, Raj Kishore was convicted and sentenced to life by the Karkardooma Sessions Court in 1996," said the DCP. Kishore was lodged in Tihar jail when he jumped parole in 1999, following which he kept changing his location to evade arrest. He stayed in Patna for four years, lived in Jaipur for nearly 13 years, and then shifted to Barnala in Punjab for another three years. During this time, he worked odd jobs and kept a low profile, occasionally visiting his native village in Kanpur Dehat, the police said. "It was only during the COVID-19 pandemic that he returned to Kanpur permanently and started a tailoring business under a new identity," the DCP added. The officer further mentioned that a crime branch team was tasked to track down parole jumpers involved in heinous crimes. The team gathered information about Kishore's presence in Kanpur. Several attempts were made to nab him in Kanpur, but local support helped him escape each time. "After strategic planning, the police managed to lure him out of his hideout and arrested him in Ghaziabad," the officer added. The arrest came after a two-month-long operation involving over 10 personnel, the police said, noting that Kishore's associate in the 1993 crime had already completed his sentence.
News18
17 hours ago
- News18
Tailor who kidnapped, murdered 8-year-old held after 26 years in Delhi
Last Updated: New Delhi, Aug 3 (PTI) A man convicted of kidnapping and murdering an eight-year-old boy in 1993 has been arrested by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police after evading law for over 26 years, an official said on Sunday. The accused, identified as Raj Kishore (55) alias Bade Lalla, a resident of Kanpur Dehat in Uttar Pradesh, was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996 for the brutal murder of a businessman's son. 'He was later granted a six-week parole by the Delhi High Court in 1999 but he never returned to prison," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said. The officer further mentioned that after several years of evasion and being declared a proclaimed offender in 2014, Kishore was finally apprehended from Ghaziabad's Khoda Colony on August 2. According to the police, the incident occurred on December 28, 1993, when Kishore and his associate abducted the son of a garment factory owner from Kalyanpuri. The accused then demanded a ransom of Rs 30,000 from the child's father, promising the boy's safe return. However, after receiving the money, the accused strangled the child and dumped his body in a drain in the Kalyanpuri area, the police said. 'The case was registered at the Kalyanpuri Police Station. Following investigation and trial, Raj Kishore was convicted and sentenced to life by the Karkardooma Sessions Court in 1996," said the DCP. Kishore was lodged in Tihar jail when he jumped parole in 1999, following which he kept changing his location to evade arrest. He stayed in Patna for four years, lived in Jaipur for nearly 13 years, and then shifted to Barnala in Punjab for another three years. During this time, he worked odd jobs and kept a low profile, occasionally visiting his native village in Kanpur Dehat, the police said. 'It was only during the COVID-19 pandemic that he returned to Kanpur permanently and started a tailoring business under a new identity," the DCP added. The officer further mentioned that a crime branch team was tasked to track down parole jumpers involved in heinous crimes. The team gathered information about Kishore's presence in Kanpur. Several attempts were made to nab him in Kanpur, but local support helped him escape each time. 'After strategic planning, the police managed to lure him out of his hideout and arrested him in Ghaziabad," the officer added. The arrest came after a two-month-long operation involving over 10 personnel, the police said, noting that Kishore's associate in the 1993 crime had already completed his sentence. PTI BM BM MPL MPL view comments First Published: August 03, 2025, 16:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
