A 13-year-old student was allegedly held and sexually assaulted by at least 30 individuals over a five-day period in the Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan, India. The incident has triggered public demonstrations and led to a large-scale police investigation involving multiple hospitality establishments.
The survivor, a class 8 student from a nearby village, traveled to Srivijaynagar (a town and a municipality in Sri Ganganagar district in the Indian state of Rajasthan) on June 18 to visit a friend.
According to investigating officer Kailashdan Detha, who heads the Women’s Harassment Cases Cell, the minor arrived in Sri Ganganagar at approximately 10:30 PM. She requested an e-rickshaw driver, identified by law enforcement as Rambabu, to transport her to her residence.
Police investigations reveal that the driver diverted from the requested destination and instead brought the minor to Hotel Joy Inn.
Over the subsequent four days, the victim was moved between multiple hospitality venues where she faced repeated sexual exploitation. Investigators are currently examining evidence suggesting that the minor was administered alcohol during the period of her confinement.
Law enforcement recovered the girl from Hotel Joy Inn on June 22 following a missing person complaint lodged by her family. Based on the victim’s official statement, police have arrested 12 individuals, with five accused of direct participation in the assault.
The scope of the investigation has expanded from three initially suspected venues to a fourth one.
Authorities have seized Digital Video Recorder (DVR) systems from all four locations. A specialized team, operating under District Superintendent of Police (SP) Harishankar Yadav, is analyzing the surveillance footage to identify further complicit individuals.
Among those apprehended, hotel owner Mayank Sain, manager Hardeep Nath, and an individual named Sachin remain under police remand.
The e-rickshaw driver Rambabu, alongside Mukesh Nath and Lalband Singla, have been transferred to judicial custody. Two additional suspects from of Sri Ganganagar, were arrested on Saturday.
One involved hotel has been formally sealed by the government, while rental logs and operational documentation of the other venues face official scrutiny.
“Investigators have recovered important leads from the mobile phones of the accused, which are helping in further arrests,” stated District SP Hari Shankar. He added that “The safety, health and rehabilitation of the minor remain a priority and that police teams are continuing raids to trace additional suspects.”
The case has caused significant public unrest in Sri Ganganagar. The District Congress Committee organized a demonstration outside the Ganganagar Traders Association building on Saturday to protest against hotel operators and local law enforcement.
District Congress President and Srikaranpur Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Rupinder Singh Kunnar joined the protest, demanding maximum legal penalties for the individuals involved.
