National Human Rights Commission: On 17-07-2025, the National Human Rights Commission (‘NHRC’), took suo motu cognizance of a media report dated 08-07-2025 highlighting an incident of 24-06-2025, where a woman was allegedly gang-raped in an empty compartment of a stationary train in Panipat, Haryana. Following the assault, she was reportedly thrown onto the rail tracks by the perpetrators, where a train subsequently ran over her leg. The victim is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital after being found on the railway tracks near Hindu College, Sonepat, on the night of 26-06-2025.
The NHRC observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights. Consequently, it issued notices to the Chairman, Railway Board, Ministry of Railways, and the Director General of Police, Haryana, calling for a detailed report on the matter within 2 weeks. The report is expected to include the status of the victim’s health and any compensation provided to her by the authorities.
According to the media report, the woman’s husband had filed a complaint with the police on 26-06-2025, stating his wife had been missing since 24-06-2025, after a quarrel. Police launched a search and found her on the railway tracks. In her statement to the police, the victim revealed she had been battling depression since her three-year-old son’s death a month prior and had left home after a fight with her husband. She was sitting at Panipat railway station when a man approached her, took her into an empty bogie of a stationary train, and subjected her to rape. Later, two other men joined and sexually assaulted her. The accused then took her to Sonepat and threw her on the rail tracks. The investigation is reportedly underway, with no arrests being made so far.