Two minor sisters in Rajasthan’s Pratapgarh district died by suicide on Saturday after alleged rape and subsequent harassment four of their classmates, police said. The police have detained four accused including a minor and registered case against them under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

According to a complaint filed by the father of the victims, the girls were staying at a rented house in Patapgarh’s Pipalkhunt when one of their minor classmates raped them with the help of his three associates. The girls informed the family and were taken to their home.

Following the incident, the accused on Wednesday called the girls to meet them in the school to sort out the matter. However, the accused allegedly misbehaved with the girls during the meeting and snatched their phones when the victims tried to contact their family members.

The same day, father of the girls lodged an FIR against the accused. Soon after the incident, the accused went into hiding and police could not find them. On Saturday morning, both girls died by suicide after consuming poison at their home.

Reacting to the incident, BJP leader and Rajasthan assembly LoP Rajendra Rathore slammed the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government for the prevailing “jungle raj” in the state. In a post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Rathore said that the latest incident is shameful for the humanity.

“Atrocities against women and daughters are at their peak under the jungle raj of Congress. The incident of suicide by two schoolgirls troubled by teasing in Pipalkhunt of Pratapgarh district is shameful to humanity. This incident is also a question mark on the poor law and order system of the state. This is not the first case under the rule of Ashok Gehlot ji who has failed as the head of the Home Department,” he said.

The issue of women safety is being aggressively raised by the BJP in Rajasthan where elections are scheduled to take place later this year. Earlier last month, a woman was also paraded naked in Pratapgarh by her husband. The issue of women safety has also been raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on several occasions during his election rallies in the state.