Uproar in Rajya Sabha over Mumbai gangrape case

The gangrape of a 22-year-old female photojournalist rocked the Rajya Sabha Friday with opposition members targeting the Centre and the ruling Congress over rising crimes against women.

"What is the government doing to stop such events?" said BJP MP Smriti Irani in the Rajya Sabha.

Irani who gave notice in Parliament for a discussion of the Mumbai gangrape, asked her fellow MPs how long they will "quietly and mutely be spectators to violence against women".

She further said that it was horrifying to know that "every hour in our country 2.38 cases of rape are reported".

As the Upper House erupted with slogans criticising Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Minister of State for Home, RPN Singh said: "The Mumbai gang-rape is an extremely tragic and unfortunate incident. Law and order is a state subject. We have asked for detailed report from the state government, we have asked them for immediate action."

A 22-year-old photojournalist, interning for a lifestyle magazine, was allegedly raped by at least three among a group of five men at an abandoned mill close to the railway tracks in the Mahalaxmi area of Mumbai last night.

The incident reportedly took place at around 8 p.m. when the girl and her male colleague were at Shakti Mills, which is located very close to the railway tracks in the Mahalaxmi area, shooting for a magazine assignment.

"The victim had gone along with her friend to the Shakti Mills to take some photographs. It was evening time. And, there the two boys...and based on the statements given by them (others detained in the case for questioning), three more men came, who then raped her," Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh said.

In a chilling reminder of the December 16 gang rape in Delhi, the men tied up the victim's friend and raped the woman.

The victim is recuperating in Jaslok Hospital. Preliminary reports suggested she has sustained multiple internal injuries.