Varanasi, April 11, 2025 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi stepped in Thursday, demanding the “strictest possible action” against culprits in a horrific gangrape of a 21-year-old college student near Varanasi’s Rajghat bridge, a stone’s throw from his constituency office. Briefed by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at 10 PM Wednesday, Modi pushed for swift justice as outrage swelled over the Wednesday evening assault that’s left the city reeling.
The attack unfolded at 6 PM—five men lured the victim and her friend to an isolated spot near the Ganga, beat the friend unconscious, and gangraped her for over an hour (Hindustan Times). Passersby found them at 8 PM; she’s now stable but traumatized at BHU Hospital. Varanasi Police nabbed three suspects—Raju, Sanjay, and a minor—by midnight, with two still at large. “They’ll face the gallows,” SSP Sushil Kumar vowed, per The Indian Express, filing charges under BNS Section 70(1).
Modi, in Delhi, called it “a blot on humanity,” ordering a report within 24 hours (Times of India). Yogi deployed SIT and forensic teams, vowing “bulldozer justice” for the accused’s homes. The victim’s friend, skull fractured, told cops, “They laughed as they hit me”—a detail that’s gut-punched locals. Posts on X rage, “Varanasi’s not safe anymore!”—a stark cry in a city of 1.5 million pilgrims yearly (UP Tourism, 2024).
This hits close—Varanasi’s Modi’s turf since 2014, a spiritual hub now stained. UP’s 2024 crime data shows 3,200 rapes, up 8% (NCRB), and women’s safety’s a raw nerve post-Hathras. “He’s our MP—act fast,” a BHU student told The Hindu. Protests brewed Thursday near Rajghat, with candles and clenched fists.
It’s not just anger—it’s a demand. Will Modi’s wrath deliver, or leave Varanasi’s faith shaken?
