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IN PHOTO: A protestor shouts slogans during a candle light vigil to mark the first anniversary of the Delhi gang rape, in New Delhi December 16, 2013. A 23-year-old woman was gang-raped on a moving bus in Delhi December 16, 2012, beaten and then pushed out onto the street along with her male companion. She died two weeks later amid an outpouring of anger across India. Four men were sentenced to death while a teenager was sentenced to juvenile custody. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Kevin Mack said that women walking alone at night would invite predators. The mayor’s comment came after a 17-year-old girl had been allegedly raped in Albury, a major regional city in New South Wales.

The teenage girl was allegedly raped by three men on a footbridge on Tuesday. She was alone while she was walking home from work. According to NSW Police, the men allegedly dragged her into bushes and raped her at knifepoint.

The mayor’s comment came while he called the incident “a tragedy.” "I always have encouraged women not to walk alone, to have someone with them at all times, because that in itself is an invitation for someone to take advantage of you," he said, “It's a salient reminder to us all not to take what we have for granted, and to make sure we have appropriate safety in place."

The mayor added that the council would try to do whatever possible to make sure the areas were safe. The parks and the footways will be well lit while people will have the sense that they are safe, he said.

Detective Inspector Hughes said in March that women should not be alone in parks. He said that people needed to be a little bit more careful and security-conscious.

Meanwhile, police released computer-generated images of the suspects. According to Inspector Scott Russell, it appeared to be a random crime. He said that police were treating it as a completely isolated attack. The incident does not seem to be linked to any other crimes under investigation at the moment, he said.

Russell asked people to contact police if they saw any of the three suspects loitering around. According to reports, the three men were seen walking around a car dealership near the scene of crime prior to the assault. People have already come up with a number of information to police while officers are hoping for more information.

The suspects are believed to be in their mid-20s. The Caucasian males, around 180-185 centimetres tall, were wearing pale blue and dark hooded jackets. Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au