Mysuru:  The Mysuru unit of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Karnataka State Women’s Anti-Violence Forum, Mysuru Samata Vedike, Samata Study Centre, Dhvani Women’s Forum, All India Mahila Samskritika Sanghatan (AIMSS) and other women’s organisations have strongly condemned the recent gangrape of a woman in Mysuru and have called on the Mysuru City Police to take swift and stringent action against the perpetrators.

In a press release, the organisations expressed concern over the disturbing trend of violence against women in Mysuru, a city once known for its cultural and gender sensitivity. They pointed out that only three years ago, a young woman was gang-raped near Chamundi Hill on the outskirts of the city. Before the trauma of that incident could fade, Mysuru has now witnessed another gangrape.

The latest case involves a young woman, employed at a private company in Mysuru, who was raped by two of her friends. The victim filed a complaint, stating that the assault took place at a private hotel in the Vijayanagar area during a party.

The organisations condemned the incident in the strongest terms and demanded immediate justice for the victim. They highlighted the shock and alarm caused by the increasing violence and the troubling mindset of young men who view their peers as objects to be exploited.

“The lack of gender sensitivity and sexual education is fostering such monstrous behaviour among young men,” they said. “Society must take urgent steps to cultivate a culture of respect and equality.” They also emphasised the failure of Government mechanisms to maintain Law and Order and ensure the safety of women in the city.

Following the incident, two suspects have reportedly been arrested. They have urged the State Government and Mysuru district administration to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that appropriate legal action is taken against the culprits. They have also called for preventive measures to protect women and girls and to prevent such incidents from recurring.

Signatories of the press release include Dr. E. Rathirao, Sabiha Bhoomigowda, Na. Divakar, Sushila, K.R. Sumathi, Suman, Kamal Gopinath and V. Purushottam.