'Even Paintings Getting Raped’: Wall Art Defaced In Gwalior, Vulgar Act Sparks Row
Scratched wall paintings of women in Gwalior have reignited debates on women’s safety in India, with viewers calling the act disturbing and symbolic of deeper societal issues.

An Instagram reel has triggered a serious conversation online about women's safety in India. The video shows how even artistic depictions of women are not spared from disrespect. Shot in Gwalior, the reel highlights damaged wall paintings of women in yoga poses. The man speaking in the video questions the mindset behind such acts and links it to the larger issue of how women are treated in society.
The reel has since gone viral, drawing anger, sadness, and reflection from viewers across social media.
Women's Safety Under Spotlight After Gwalior Wall Paintings Defaced
The video was posted by an Instagram user under the name Rahul Goel, where he talks about black graffiti-style paintings of women painted along a roadside wall in Gwalior. These figures were simple silhouettes showing yoga poses, without faces or body details. However, someone deliberately scratched the paint around areas linked to female anatomy, making the artwork look sexualised.
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Goel expresses deep disappointment and calls this behaviour disturbing. He says this reflects a perverted mindset that exists in society, where women are often objectified in daily conversations. He questions how such thinking survives in a country that symbolically worships feminine energy and claims to respect women.
He also challenges the argument that women’s clothing leads to harassment. According to him, these paintings had no clothes, no features, and no expressions, yet they were still targeted. He connects this mindset to larger failures in providing justice in cases of sexual violence, saying the issue begins with how society thinks.
Walls Repainted, But Civic Sense Still Missing
In a later update, another Instagram video shows that the damaged wall paintings are being repainted from scratch. The scratched portions have been covered, and the artwork is being restored. Many online users called this a win for social media pressure, showing how public outrage can lead to action.
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However, the repainting also raises an important point. Fixing a wall is easy, but fixing mindsets is not. Several users pointed out that civic sense and basic respect are still missing. Art in public spaces should be protected, not vandalised.
While the repainting shows accountability, the larger issue of women's safety in India needs more than damage control. It needs awareness, responsibility, and respect, both online and offline.

























