India: Brother of rape victim writes to PM Narendra Modi to push for jailing of attackers

A 16-year-old Indian boy has reportedly written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pleading with him to arrest his sister's rapists. The teenager from Jaipur, Rajasthan asked the premier why the police are allegedly protecting the perpetrators of the gang rape of his 12-year-old sister.

The claims have been published by leading Indian news organisation, Zee Media, who noted that the boy believed nobody listened to him and his family because they come from a poor background. According to the 16-year-old, the rapists were pronounced guilty but are out of jail.

Zee Media quoted the letter (addressed to Modi): "Uncle, Balotra Police is shielding people who gang raped my sister. Police officials are protecting the rapists of my sister. I went to district administration officials too but they don't pay any attention to us; they make fun of our poverty."

It remains unclear when the rape mentioned in the letter to Modi occurred, as well as when the letter was sent to the prime minister.

The 16-year-old sibling hit out at Modi's Beti Chachao ('save daughter') campaign, which was launched in January 2015 by the government to generate improvement in welfare services for girls and women.

The letter stated: "On one hand your government is running Beti Bachao campaign, but Rajasthan government is making fun of such campaign by not bringing culprits of my sister's rape to book."

A recent report, in September 2015, noted the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl from Delhi by 27 people at a hotel in Jaipur. The news made national headlines after it was reported that the girl was taken to Jaipur on the pretext of getting a job but was gang raped for almost 24 hours before managing to escape.

News about the letter emerged as protesters took to the streets in the state of Kerala to demand justice for the brutal murder and alleged rape of a Dalit woman. The 30-year-old was found murdered in her home on 28 April with stab wounds to her body and her intestines pulled out. The brutality of the attack closely resembled the 2012 Delhi gang rape, which made international headlines and saw thousands take to the streets in protest.