Yes, Gang Rape Videos Are Being Sold, Admits Agra Cop: Report

Mobile phone clips of gang rapes are being sold in shops in Uttar Pradesh, as a spate of rapes in one of the country’s most violent states has sparked anger and calls for Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to step down.

The clips, which last 30 seconds to five minutes, are being sold in the “hundreds, perhaps thousands, every day”, the Times of India reported. They cost  Rs 50-150 rupees.

“We are aware. We are taking necessary action. But it is difficult, as the sales are happening below the counter,” Ajay Sharma, a deputy inspector general of police in the city of Agra, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Last week, a woman and her 14-year-old daughter were dragged from their vehicle at gunpoint on a major highway and gang-raped for hours in nearby fields.  Initially, the police did not respond to a call for help.

In 2014, there were 337,922 reports of violence against women including rape, molestation and abduction, a 9 percent increase on the previous year, according to official data.