Madhya Pradesh Shocker: Woman Allegedly Raped in Broad Daylight on a Busy Road; Passersby Films the Assault

A woman was allegedly raped in broad daylight on a busy road in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, while a passerby filmed the assault and posted it online. The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon in the Koyla Phatak area, a major intersection in the city. The accused, Lokesh, was later arrested by the police.

According to police reports, the survivor, a ragpicker, was lured by Lokesh under the pretense of marriage. Lokesh persuaded her to drink alcohol and then took her to a roadside shelter, where he raped her. An eyewitness recorded the assault and shared the video online, the video then went viral on social media.

“Accused Lokesh promised to marry her, made her drink liquor, and then raped her. Some people who were passing by shot videos of the incident instead of stopping the crime. Lokesh later fled the spot,” said City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Om Prakash Mishra. The viral video helped police identify and locate the survivor, who reported the crime after regaining sobriety. This led to Lokesh’s arrest.

The incident has ignited a political uproar, with the Madhya Pradesh Congress criticizing the ruling BJP for the state's deteriorating law and order situation. State Congress Chief Jitu Patwari said, “Once again, the holy city of Ujjain is tarnished... Rapes are now happening in broad daylight in MP — on open streets. This is only possible when the law and government completely disappear. If this is the situation in the Chief Minister’s hometown, then one can imagine the condition of the rest of the state.”​