Mysore/Mysuru: The Police team that is investigating the abduction, rape and murder of the minor girl in Mysuru was shaken by the brutality inflicted on the child by the accused K.S. Karthik.

Police sources said that according to preliminary findings, Karthik entered the family’s tent under cover of darkness, abducted the girl and took her to a secluded location where he committed the rape.

He then mutilated her body — stabbing 19 times and reportedly severing her ears, cheek and chin — before  dumping it in a drain near the Exhibition Grounds.

The savagery of the crime has drawn comparisons to the Delhi Nirbhaya case, a gang rape and murder that occurred on Dec.16, 2012, in South Delhi. In that case, the victim was tortured so severely that her internal organs were extricated by an iron rod. She was initially treated in Delhi and later flown to Singapore, where she succumbed to her injuries on Dec. 29, 2012.

The Nirbhaya case sparked nationwide protests demanding justice and stronger protections for women. The media named the victim Nirbhaya, meaning fearless, to preserve her identity and honour her courage. Her story became a global symbol of resistance against gender-based violence.

In response, the Indian Government enacted the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, commonly referred to as the Nirbhaya Act, which significantly strengthened laws against sexual violence.

Of the six accused in the Nirbhaya case, four were sentenced to death and executed on March 20, 2020. One died in custody, reportedly by suicide. The juvenile involved was sentenced to three years in a reform facility — the maximum penalty permitted under the Juvenile Justice Act.

Similarly, the Mysuru girl’s rape and murder case has sparked outrage across the city, with citizens demanding swift justice for the victim and stricter monitoring of repeat offenders.