A series of controversial posters allegedly sponsored by Ahmedabad traffic police have triggered condemnation for suggesting that women should stay home to avoid being raped.

The posters, seen in localities like Sola and Chandlodia, carried messages such as: "Do not attend late night parties, you could be raped or gangraped," and "Do not go with your friend to dark, isolated areas, what if she is raped or gangraped?"

While the posters bore the name of Satarkta Group — an NGO reportedly run by a local journalist — and mentioned Ahmedabad traffic police as sponsor, officials have since distanced themselves from the campaign amid public fury.

Deputy commissioner of police (traffic west), Neeta Desai, clarified that while the city traffic police had approved posters related to road safety, they had no knowledge of the messages that went up in public spaces.

"The NGO had approached us and said they wanted to organise traffic awareness programmes in schools and colleges and wanted our staff to accompany them. We were shown posters related to traffic awareness. But such controversial posters were not shown to us and were plastered without our consent," Desai was quoted as saying, adding that the materials were removed as soon as the matter was brought to their notice.

Additional commissioner of police (traffic) N.N. Chaudhary echoed him: "We never approved such language. It is unacceptable."

Assistant commissioner of police (traffic administration) Shailesh Modi also confirmed that while permission was given to Satarkta for a traffic awareness drive, the actual content that went up was "indecent" and not sanctioned by the police.

The Gujarat unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) condemned the incident, taking a swipe at the ruling BJP.

"The BJP government in Gujarat talks about women's empowerment, but the ground reality is completely different. In the last three years, more than 6,500 incidents of rape and more than 36 gang rapes have occurred in Gujarat, with more than five rapes per day," the party said in a statement.

"The chief minister and BJP leaders talk about women's safety, but today in a big city like Ahmedabad, these posters express the reality of Gujarat. Our question to the CM is whether the women of Gujarat should go out of the house at night or not?"

The posters also sparked public anger for their sexist tone and victim-blaming undertones. "How could posters with such insensitive messaging that indirectly blame women for sexual violence be allowed to go up under official sanction? What kind of scrutiny was done before permission was given?" Dr Bhumi Patel, a resident of Ghatlodia told The Times of India..

Gayatri Shah, a fitness trainer from Bodakdev, said the campaign amounted to moral policing: "They undermine the very idea of public awareness by peddling fear and control instead of responsibility and protection."

Nehrunagar resident Minal Solanki added, "These posters reflect a mindset that blames victims and absolves institutions of their failure to ensure safety without having to resort to fear-mongering."