– Mohammed Talha Siddi Bapa
In the bustling tech city of Bengaluru, a woman was gang-raped, extorted, and robbed – all within the so-called safety of a home. No ordinary crime! It reveals the tragic convergence of violence, financial desperation, and moral decay that increasingly defines modern India.
According to reports, the 35-year-old woman, a beautician, was visiting her friend’s house in Sai Layout under the Parappana Agrahara police station limits on July 7. Two men allegedly barged into the home, raped her, and then – with audacious cruelty – forced her to transfer ₹20,000 to an account. That money, police later discovered, was moved to a betting app.
Yes, you read that right. The proceeds of a sexual assault were funnelled into online gambling – the kind we see promoted daily by our favourite actors, cricketers, and influencers.
The accused didn’t stop there. They stole mobile phones, a fridge, a television, and even a washing machine – claiming it was to settle a “loan”. Bengaluru Police have arrested four men and registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s sections for gang rape and extortion. Investigations are ongoing.
A Moral Catastrophe
Let’s be clear: this was not just an act of sexual violence. It was the complete stripping of human dignity – financially, physically, and emotionally. But what is more chilling is the societal context that allowed such a crime to happen – and possibly, to repeat.
The perpetrators saw the woman not just as a victim, but as an easy opportunity: a vulnerable woman without institutional backing, money to extract, and things to steal. That speaks volumes about how we treat women, especially those from working-class backgrounds.
But the betting app connection – that adds a layer of cultural rot. This was not an impulsive act of violence. This was a systematic act of dehumanisation, monetisation, and digital addiction. It is a direct result of the unchecked normalisation of gambling as “fun” and “cool” in our country.
A Society Caught in Its Own Trap
Across television screens, IPL stadiums, and social media reels, India’s celebrities – who enjoy mass following and fan devotion – shamelessly promote online betting platforms. What once was hidden in back alleys is now sold with glitter and smiles, backed by the most bankable faces in India.
Where is our collective morality?
What message are we sending to young people, men without work, or families struggling to survive? That quick money is king? That gambling isn’t risky, it’s rewarding? That betting is not a vice but a lifestyle?
Let’s connect the dots. In this Bengaluru case, the rapists didn’t just violate a woman. They channelled the looted proceeds into an addiction – a state-sponsored, celebrity-validated addiction. That’s the new India: one that punishes the poor and rewards moral decay.
A Culture That Silences Pain
Even more heart-breaking is the silence that follows such crimes. For a few hours, headlines rage. Police make a few arrests. And then the world moves on. Because the victim isn’t rich. She’s not a public figure. She is, to many, a “nobody.”
But to remain silent is to become complicit.
What happened in Bengaluru is the reflection of how we, as a society, fail women every day – especially those who don’t have money, status, or protection. And when financial extortion is paired with sexual violence, we are staring at a hybrid crime that is both ancient and terrifyingly modern.
Digital, Dehumanized, and Desensitized
Gone are the days when crime had a motive. Today, crimes are committed casually, circulated digitally, and forgotten quickly. The new criminals are not just thieves or predators. They are gamblers, digital addicts, and opportunists exploiting both technology and patriarchy.
And let’s not forget: the victim’s presence in the house was not random. It was a friend’s house – a place of supposed safety. But in this dystopia, even friendship cannot protect. Even homes are vulnerable. Even silence isn’t enough to avoid danger.
Let’s Reclaim Morality Before It’s Too Late
This is a national crisis. And it goes beyond one rape case or one woman. It is about what we have normalised as acceptable behaviour.
If actors can promote betting without shame, if men can gamble using rape money, if influencers can sell vices to children, and if society can look away – then we must ask: what remains of our ethics?
Where is the outrage? Where are the bans on celebrity-endorsed betting platforms? Where are the public conversations about masculinity, money, and violence?
Let’s not pretend this is just a legal issue. It is a moral failure. And morality is not the domain of one religion or community. It is a collective social contract. If we let this slip, there will be nothing left to hold.
Justice Must Go Beyond Arrests
Bengaluru Police acted quickly. That must be appreciated. But we cannot stop at FIRs and arrests. Justice must also mean:
- Banning online betting apps and ads, especially those with celebrity endorsement;
- Educating men and boys about morality, respect, and non-violence;
- Creating social protection networks for working-class women and single professionals; and
- Naming and shaming those who profit from moral decay.
This is not a women’s issue. It’s not even a crime issue. It’s a mirror to who we are becoming. And unless we act, this mirror will soon show a society beyond repair.
Let’s not be a generation that let morality die quietly. Let’s be the voice – for the voiceless, for the raped, for the ruined, and for a future worth living.
