‘Whose responsibility is women’s safety?’: Rahul hits out at Shah over rape-murder of 16-year-old in Delhi

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Lok Sabha LoP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. File | Photo Credit: PTI

Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Friday (September 18, 2026) hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over women’s safety in Delhi following reports of the rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl.

Unlike other full-fledged States, in Delhi the police report to the Union Home Ministry.

The case came to light on September 13 when the police received information about an unidentified body lying in an open field in outer Delhi’s Swaroop Nagar. The body was in a decomposed state and had been partly eaten by dogs, said an officer.

The breakthrough was achieved after the vehicle used to dump the body was identified, said the police. A 19-year-old man has been arrested and three minors apprehended for the crime.

In an X post in Hindi, Mr. Gandhi stated: “Such a horrific act of brutality in the Capital, and the police had no clue for days.”

“It is unfortunate that Delhi is no longer the Capital today; it has become a terrifying daily story for women. Amit Shahji, Delhi Police is under your control. Ultimately, whose responsibility is women’s safety?” said the senior Opposition leader.

He asked whether the Delhi police’s role had been reduced to “intimidating and threatening ordinary citizens”.

Mr. Gandhi said action must be taken against all those found guilty of the rape and murder of the minor and accountability for “this criminal negligence” must be fixed.

Additional DCP (Outer North) Lokeshwaran R. said the incident took place on the intervening night of September 10 and 11. He said the victim’s family did not register a missing persons complaint as the minor was not on good terms with them.

A case has been registered under Sections 103(1) (murder), 238(a) (causing disappearance of evidence), 65(1) (rape of a woman under 16 years) and 3(5) (common intention) of the BNS, along with Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the POCSO Act at the Swaroop Nagar police station, said the senior officer.

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