Brutal Daylight Stabbing in Ujjain:

19-Year-Old Woman Stabbed Over a Dozen Times in Seconds as Crowd Watches in Horror

Report By Y-Trendz

UJJAIN, Madhya Pradesh — June 26, 2026

In a chilling act of violence that has sent shockwaves across the country, a 19-year-old woman was subjected to a savage knife attack in broad daylight at one of Ujjain's busiest commercial areas on

Friday afternoon. The entire assault — described by witnesses and confirmed by CCTV footage — lasted a matter of seconds but left the victim fighting for her life, and has once again cast a harsh spotlight on the dangers of stalking and gender-based violence in public spaces across India.

The Attack: A Few Seconds of Terror

The incident took place on Friday afternoon near the main gate of the medicine market in the Freeganj area of Ujjain. Surveillance cameras installed in the vicinity recorded the horrifying sequence of events, and the footage has since been widely circulated, triggering outrage across social media platforms and news channels. According to reports, the accused stopped the victim near a shop at around 12:45 PM and attempted to speak with her. When she resisted, he allegedly pulled out a knife and repeatedly stabbed her. Despite her attempts to defend herself, the accused reportedly held her with one hand and continued the attack with the other. The assault was relentless — the attacker stabbed the young woman more than 15 times in just 13 seconds before finally fleeing the scene.

The assault ended only after bystanders rushed towards the scene, forcing him to flee. The attack created panic in the busy market area as traders and passersby rushed to help the injured woman.

The Victim: A Young Working Woman

The victim, identified as Pooja Rajak, a resident of Bapu Nagar, works as a computer operator at Dayal Pharma and was on her way to work when the attack occurred. She is also known by the name Gungun in her neighbourhood. A young woman beginning her professional life, Pooja had no reason to expect that a routine commute to her workplace would turn into a life-threatening ordeal.

Shopkeepers and residents immediately shifted Pooja to Charak Hospital, where doctors found multiple stab injuries on her abdomen, neck, and arms. She is undergoing treatment. Due to the seriousness of her injuries, doctors referred her to a private hospital for further treatment. As of the time of reporting, her condition remains critical, and she is under close medical supervision.

The Accused: A Months-Long Stalker

The man behind the vicious attack has been identified as Sunil Jaroliya, a resident of Dendia village in Ujjain district. Police said the accused had allegedly been stalking the victim for nearly eight months before attacking her while she was on her way to work.

The harassment, however, was not unknown to the victim's family. Pooja's mother, Aarti Rajak, told police that a young man named Sunil had been troubling her daughter for the last four to five days. She said the family had warned him two days ago after learning about the harassment. Despite that warning, Sunil allegedly went ahead with the attack, making it a premeditated and targeted assault.

In her statement to police, Pooja identified Sunil as the person who attacked her. The victim's courage in naming her attacker, despite the severity of her injuries, has been widely noted.

Police Response: Manhunt Underway

Law enforcement agencies moved quickly following the attack. Additional Superintendent of Police Nitesh Bhargava stated that the victim has identified the accused in her statement, a case has been registered, and police teams have been formed to arrest him. CCTV footage and other evidence are being examined, and the accused will be arrested soon.

All aspects of the case, including the alleged harassment of the victim before the attack, are being probed while efforts are underway to arrest the accused. The CCTV cameras installed near the scene recorded the entire attack, and investigators are now using the footage to trace the accused. Police officials said the exact motive behind the incident will become clear only after Sunil is arrested or once the victim regains consciousness and is able to give her full statement.

Public Outrage and the Larger Question

The incident has provoked a fierce national reaction. The case has drawn widespread attention because of the brutal nature of the attack and the allegations that the accused had been following the victim for several months. The case has once again sparked debate about crimes committed against women through stalking and violence in public places. The crime being carried out during daylight hours and recorded on CCTV has led to an increased demand for immediate punishment of the perpetrator.

The footage, showing a defenceless young woman being stabbed repeatedly in a crowded market with onlookers scrambling in panic, has laid bare the frightening vulnerability women face in everyday public spaces. The fact that the attack happened in the Freeganj medicine market — a busy, commercially active hub of Ujjain — makes the audacity of the crime all the more disturbing. The accused carried out the assault without apparent fear of bystanders, cameras, or consequences.

Women's rights groups and citizens across India have taken to social media demanding immediate arrest of the accused, fast-track prosecution, and stronger enforcement of anti-stalking laws. Many have also questioned why the family's prior complaint or warning to the accused did not trigger any preventive action by local authorities.

A Pattern That Cannot Be Ignored

This case is not an isolated incident. Across India, there has been a troubling pattern of women being attacked — often fatally — by men who had been stalking or harassing them and were spurned. From Shraddha Walkar to numerous unreported cases in small towns and villages, the link between rejection, obsessive stalking, and extreme violence against women is increasingly undeniable.

Experts and advocates have long urged stronger implementation of Section 354D of the Indian Penal Code (stalking) and faster police intervention when women or their families raise complaints about harassment. In this case, the family had already warned Sunil Jaroliya — yet no formal complaint appears to have been filed or acted upon before Friday's brutal assault.

As Pooja Rajak lies in a hospital bed recovering from over a dozen stab wounds, and as investigators comb through CCTV footage and close in on the accused, the nation watches and demands accountability — not just for this case, but for a systemic failure to protect women from men who choose violence over rejection.

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Investigations are ongoing. Sunil Jaroliya remains at large as of the time of publication. Authorities have urged anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact local police immediately.