india

Updated: May 17, 2019 12:07 IST

Rajasthan High Court on Friday issued a notice to the state government seeking its reply on the recent incidents of gang-rape in the state, news agency ANI reported.

The Congress-led government in the state has been under fire after a spate of rape cases, including the gang rape of a 9-year-old woman in Alwar, with the BJP alleging the “failure” of law and order in Rajasthan and demanding the resignation of chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has accused the Congress government of hiding the Alwar gang-rape case, saying it feared a political fallout during the ongoing elections.

The 19-year-old woman was allegedly raped in front of her husband by five men, who filmed the crime and later circulated the video on social media. The incident occurred on April 26 after the men waylaid the couple and beat up the husband before taking turns to rape the woman.

The victim’s family has said the local police did not register a case for days although a complaint was lodged on April 29. An FIR was finally registered on May 2 under the Indian Penal Code and Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The incident triggered widespread protests in Alwar, Jaipur, Dausa and nearby areas and a protest march led by the BJP’s Rajya Sabha member Kirori Lal Meena had turned violent in Dausa on Tuesday, leaving over half a dozen people injured.