A woman working at IIT Kanpur was allegedly attacked with a brick by the son of a retired IAS officer after she declined his marriage proposal, in a case that has sparked widespread outrage and renewed conversations around violence against women following rejection. According to police, the accused, Devashish Nigam, had met the 38-year-old woman through social media. Nigam was reportedly living separately from his wife, while the woman was a widow with a 16-year-old daughter. The two had become friends and were in regular contact. Police said the incident took place when Nigam arrived at IIT Kanpur to pick her up before the two planned to go out together. During the drive, he allegedly told her he wanted to divorce his wife and marry her. The woman reportedly declined, saying she valued their friendship but could not marry him because of her daughter. An argument allegedly followed. Police said Nigam stopped the car, attacked the woman with a brick, smashed the vehicle's window, dragged her onto the road and assaulted her repeatedly. Hearing her screams, locals intervened, restrained the accused and handed him over to the police. He was subsequently arrested, and an investigation is underway. The incident has reignited discussions about violence triggered by rejection and the importance of respecting personal boundaries and consent. It also comes weeks after another high-profile case in Madhya Pradesh, where police alleged that a 21-year-old man stabbed a first-year BA student multiple times in broad daylight after she rejected his advances. The accused was later arrested. The World Health Organization describes violence against women, including intimate partner violence, as a major public health issue. According to the WHO, nearly one in four women who have ever been in a relationship have experienced physical or sexual violence by a current or former intimate partner at least once in their lifetime.