Ajmer: Over the years, the Indian media has been accused of concealing scandals involving Extremists, but with the rise of Internet literacy, the truth is beginning to emerge. One such haunting incident that came to light after decades of obscurity is the 1992 Ajmer rape case. Recently, the teaser of the Hindi movie "Ajmer 92" brought this dormant topic back into the limelight, sparking national discussions despite objections and threats from the Muslim camp and political interference. On July 21, 2023, the movie finally hit theaters, reigniting the public's attention to the gory serial rapes that shook the nation.

Ajmer, an ancient town in the Indian state of Rajasthan, houses the revered Muslim shrine, the tomb of Ajmer Shariff. Politicians, celebrities, and media influencers often pay their respects at this Sufi tomb, leveraging its prominence for publicity and media attention. However, in 1992, the shrine's high-profile caretakers found themselves embroiled in a shocking serial rape case. Their religious influence and political connections reportedly contributed to the suppression of this scandalous and gruesome incident.

The 1992 Ajmer serial rapes involved hundreds of schoolgirls, victimized by a Muslim Chishti, in horrifying instances of blackmail and sexual exploitation. Navjyoti, a local newspaper, played a pivotal role in exposing the truth by publishing highly objectionable photographs and a report revealing how local gangs were blackmailing female students from Ajmer's Sophia Girls School. The revelation sent shockwaves across the country, leaving readers deeply disturbed by the extent of the atrocities.

The heart-wrenching saga began with Farooq Chishti, a khadim (caretaker) of Ajmer Sharif Dargah, befriending a student from the Girl's School and ensnaring her in a sinister trap. He allegedly raped her, took explicit photographs, and initiated a campaign of blackmail. Tragically, this student was not the only victim; the khadim demanded more girls, and those she introduced also suffered the same fate of rape and blackmail.

The gang, consisting of Muslim men with religious and political clout, continued to expand their operations, targeting an increasing number of Hindu minor girls. Among them, Farooq Chishti held the position of president of the Ajmer Youth Congress, while others, like Anwar Chishti and Nafis Chishti, occupied influential roles in the city Congress unit. As the case details were made public, rumors circulated that many victims had resorted to suicide. Outraged civilians took to the streets, demanding justice, but political resistance reportedly led to a sudden halt in the investigations, further adding to the victims' anguish.

It was happening right under their noses, involving innocent girls, sexually exploited and blackmailed.
This could be one of the first cases of ‘Love Jihad’ in the nation.
Their main target were Hindu Girls. pic.twitter.com/S4zYCqKP8N

— Deeksha Sharma (@Diksharma16) August 23, 2022

Building a case against the influential accused proved arduous, as most victims were hesitant to come forward due to the accused individuals' social and financial power. The photographs and videos used for blackmailing helped identify some culprits, but persuading the girls to come forward and testify proved challenging, given the accused's influence, as stated by retired Rajasthan D.G.P. Omendra Bhardwaj, who served as the deputy inspector general of police in Ajmer at the time.

Ultimately, 19 individuals faced charges of kidnapping and gang rape under the Indian Penal Code, alongside violating the Prohibition on Indecent Representation of Women. Tragically, one of the accused individuals committed suicide during the investigation. In 2001, eight individuals received life sentences, while four were acquitted.

In 2004, the Supreme Court of India dismissed the appeals filed by the state and the convicts. A judicial bench, comprising Justice BP Singh and Justice N Santosh Hegde, reduced the sentence to ten years rigorous imprisonment, considering the facts and circumstances of the case.

However, even after 30 years, the infamous 1992 Ajmer gang rape case remains an open, unhealed wound, mocking the victims, who have now become mothers and grandmothers, but were once innocent children subjected to rape and blackmail. Their quest for justice has been overlooked, neglected, and denied, as they belong to a Hindu community in a nation perceived as pandering to the Muslim minority.

Recently, a video surfaced featuring Ajmer Dargah Khadim Salman Chishti, wherein he made an alarming appeal to eliminate former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. With over 13 cases, including murder and attempted murder, filed against him, the khadim's actions raise further concerns.

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