Amid national outrage and protests in several states over rising crimes against women, Uttar Pradesh minister Ranvendra Pratap Singh on Thursday said that “not even Lord Ram” could guarantee 100% security to people, NDTV reported.

The food and civil supplies minister was responding to questions on women’s safety after a rape complainant was set ablaze earlier in the day by five men in the state’s Unnao district.

“When there is a society, then to say 100% there will be no crime – this assurance I do not think even Lord Ram could give,” Singh told reporters in Barabanki district. “So a 100% surety is not there. But this much is sure – if there is a crime, then the accused will go to jail and he will be punished.”

The comment came amid a shocking increase in crimes against women in the past week. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy, however, has claimed there is no trend of rise in such crimes.

The 23-year-old woman in Unnao was airlifted and admitted to Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital as she had suffered about 90% of extensive burn injuries. Two of the five men who attacked her had allegedly raped her some months ago. One of them was on the run while the other was released on bail only last week. The woman was on her way to a local court for a hearing on her rape case in Unnao earlier in the day when she was attacked.

Last week, a Hyderabad-based veterinarian was allegedly gangraped, and murdered. On Monday, a 40-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping, and murdering a six-year-old girl in Tonk district. The same day, four men, including a former police constable, allegedly gangraped a minor girl in Odisha’s Puri district.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Uttar Pradesh Police said four men, including a Central Reserve Police Force soldier, were arrested for allegedly abducting and gangraping a 15-year-old girl in Mirzapur district.