Bihar's harassment incidents continue as videos from Samastipur and Madhepura go viral
These incidents raise questions about the gap between the government's claims on women's safety and ground realities in Bihar.
Just a few days after the Jamui incident in Bihar, another shameful case has emerged from Samastipur. A video of another minor girl being mistreated has gone viral on social media. This incident is reported to have occurred on September 15.
The entire matter pertains to the embankment in Jagatsinghpur village of the Karpuri police station area in Samastipur district. According to a media report, a minor boy and girl had arrived on a bike and were talking to each other. Meanwhile, some unruly boys surrounded the two minors and beat up the boy severely. After the boy fled the scene, these youths began to mistreat the minor girl. The viral video shows the girl protesting against their actions, but despite this, the youths did not stop and continued to harass her. It is alleged that they repeatedly asked the girl for her address. When the girl referred to the boy accompanying her as her brother, the youths used abusive language towards her.
After the video went viral on social media, the police took action and arrested four accused individuals. Among them are Rahul Kumar (19), Avadhesh Paswan (46), Vikas Sharma (32), and Ram Babu Sahni (38). Samastipur SP Arvind Pratap Singh stated that an investigation was initiated as soon as the matter came to light, and instructions were given to register an FIR at the police station. Police officials have stated that the culprits will not be spared and strict action will be taken against them.
In a related incident, another video is going viral on social media today. The viral video shows an incident of mistreatment involving two to three female students and a boy. This incident is reported to have occurred in the Udakishunganj police station area of Madhepura. In the viral video, some youths are seen surrounding the students and a boy, arguing with them. During this time, a scuffle-like situation is also visible. It is reported that this video was filmed outside a school. Some boys in the crowd take the keys of a bike belonging to a boy who arrived on a motorcycle. Following this, a heated exchange begins between both parties. The female students also get involved in this dispute.
However, Udakishunganj SDPO Pawan Kumar Singh stated that some people are misrepresenting the video and spreading misleading information. He clarified that no incidents of harassment occurred during the argument.
The police have identified all the minor students shown in the video. Notices have been sent to their guardians, and action is being taken under the Juvenile Justice Act (JJ Act). The SDPO mentioned that those spreading rumors by maliciously circulating the video on social media are also being identified. Separate legal action will be taken against such individuals.
However, such incidents raise the question of whether there is a significant gap between the government's claims regarding women's safety in Bihar and the ground reality.
Recently, the Jamui incident made headlines across the country. This incident is reported to have occurred on September 19. Until the previous Sunday, no one had filed a complaint at the police station regarding this matter. After the video of the incident went viral, the police were informed. Subsequently, the police spoke to the victim's side, registered a case, and arrested the main accused. The accused was injured during a police encounter. Rakesh Kumar, DIG of the Munger range, confirmed this to BBC News Hindi. He stated that the main accused was shot in the leg during the encounter with the police. The police have also arrested another accused in this case.
According to the police, this incident occurred around 6:30 PM and was about 3 kilometers away from the Lakhisarai-Jamui main road. The viral video shows the minor students sitting on a scooter, surrounded by a crowd of youths. The crowd is questioning them about what they were doing there in the evening. During this time, the girl is allegedly being sexually assaulted. Meanwhile, the boy is seen trying to protect the girl from the group of youths.
In light of these incidents, an old statement made by Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary on a TV channel is going viral. In it, he is seen saying that if you go for a long drive on the road after having dinner at 2 AM and someone touches you, then he will resign by morning. However, the continuous emergence of such incidents in Bihar presents a different picture from the Chief Minister's claim.