Ujjain Shocker: Man Arrested for Raping Woman After Forcing Alcohol Consumption

A woman scrap collector was allegedly raped by a man after he forced her to consume alcohol in the Agar Naka area of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, a police official reported on Thursday. Following the woman's complaint, the accused was arrested.

According to the police, the survivor, a ragpicker, encountered the accused, Lokesh, in the area. He lured her with false promises of marriage and persuaded her to accompany him. Lokesh then coerced the woman into drinking alcohol, and when she was intoxicated, he took her to a roadside shelter where he raped her.

The incident came to light after a video of the rape, recorded by unidentified individuals, went viral on social media, according to City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Om Prakash Mishra of the Kotwali area. The police have identified three to four suspects who recorded the video, and efforts are underway to apprehend them.

"We have identified three to four suspects who filmed the incident and made the video viral. Based on our information, they are currently at different locations, and police teams are actively working to arrest them," Mishra stated.

Lokesh, the accused, had promised to marry the woman, then made her drink alcohol and raped her on Wednesday. Some passersby recorded videos of the assault instead of intervening to stop it. Lokesh fled the scene afterward, but he was arrested after the woman filed a complaint once the effects of alcohol wore off.

The victim is in stable condition and is currently at her residence, according to the police.

The incident sparked outrage on social media, with the Madhya Pradesh Congress posting the video on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Ujjain, the sacred city, is once again shamed. Those in power should either die of shame or resign."

State Congress Chief Jitu Patwari also tweeted, "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."