UP: Brother Rapes And Murders Teen Sister After Watching Porn

In a shocking incident, a 19-year-old brother raped his 17-year-old sister and strangulated her to death in Uttar Pradesh's Kasaganj. The accused raped his sister on the night of February 3 after watching porn on his mobile phone. The police arrested him on February 4. 

As per the reports, the accused is identified as Sanju Kumar. He raped his sister after watching porn on his mobile phone. But then the fear that she would complain about him to the family members gripped him. So to hide his misdeed, Kumar strangulated his sister to death. 

Details about the case 

Sanju Kumar had lost his father a year ago. He was living with his mother and sister in a village. When the incident happened, his mother had gone to his uncle's house and he was alone with his sister.

Patiali Kotwali Inspector Govind Ballabh Sharma said that it was the same uncle who filed an FIR against Kumar on February 4 for raping and murdering his sister. The police began a search for him and arrested him by the evening. 

After being interrogated, Kumar revealed everything and confessed to the crime. The police also recovered the mobile from him which contained the pornographic clips which he watched that night.

A similar case of a minor being raped by her uncle

Only recently, we were toppled by a case in Navi Mumbai where a 15-year-old girl was raped and impregnated by her uncle.  A 34-year-old man was charged for raping his 15-year-old niece and impregnating her. The police nabbed the accused and imposed relevant charges on him. As per the reports, the accused was the maternal uncle of the minor and hails from Nerul in Navi Mumbai. He allegedly raped her in his house on October 4, 2023. Later, when a girl complained about suffering from health issues, she was admitted to a hospital in the Govandi area of neighbouring Mumbai. 

When the doctors examined her, it was discovered that she was pregnant. The hospital authorities immediately informed the Nerul Police Station. The police then caught the accused and forced charges Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other Indian Penal Code.

Why are cases of minors being assaulted by people they know on the rise? If minor girls and boys are not safe with their family and friends, how will they find safety outside? What are we doing to protect children from sexual or physical abuse in the very place they're supposed to feel safe? 

How can we stop porn addiction?

As far as the current case is concerned, we also need to address the issue of porn addiction. Recently, Madras High Court lamented the increased addiction to porn among Gen Z. It said, "There used to be an addiction to smoking, drinking, etc. and there is a growing rise in addiction watching porn photos/videos. This is because it is easily available in the electronic gadgets and by repeatedly watching the same, it becomes a habit and ultimately, the person gets addicted." 

In this case, the accused too tried to manifest the pornographic material in real life. Earlier, Madras High Court had clearly stated that even though watching porn is not an offence, using others for pornographic material is a crime.

Here, the role of parents is very important to guide the sexual maturity of adolescents. Rather than shrugging sex talk as "dirty", parents need to educate their offspring about healthy sex. Moreover, parents need to remove the air of hesitation between them and their children so that children can openly talk about their feelings. As Madras High Court also said that rather than punishing Gen Zs for porn addiction, the best way to grapple with the situation is to educate them and counsel them to get rid of the addiction

Views expressed are the author's own.