< Back to all clusters
[CRIME] · India · 22 sources

started · updated

Bihar harassment cases spark political row and police investigations

Bihar is experiencing a surge in reported harassment and molestation cases involving minors, sparking intense political debate over the state's law and order. Within a single week, three major incidents surfaced via viral videos: one in Jamui, one in Samastipur, and a third at the Mandar Hill tourist site in Banka.

In the Banka case, police registered an FIR against six unidentified youths after footage emerged showing a group harassing and assaulting a girl. Three suspects, including Abdullah, Nitish Kumar Rai, and Vikas Kumar, have been identified. The National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident, demanding an action taken report from the Bihar police.

The Jamui incident has triggered a political controversy after a photograph of the minor victim and her family was briefly posted on Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary’s official social media handle. Opposition leaders, including Tejashwi Yadav and Misa Bharti, accused the Chief Minister of violating the POCSO Act by revealing the victim's identity. An FIR has been registered against a Bihar Chief Minister’s Office employee regarding the post.

In Samastipur, authorities have arrested several individuals, including Dharmendra Sahni and Raushan Kumar Mishra, following a viral video of a girl being harassed. Other recent reports include the arrest of an auto-driver in Bhojpur for molesting a student and the arrest of two youths in Darbhanga for the sexual assault of a minor. Local leaders have called for increased security and accountability to protect women and girls.

Entities

Ashok Choudhary · Banka · Bihar · Bihar Chief Minister's Office · Chirag Paswan · Mandar Hill · Misa Bharti · National Commission for Women · Rashtriya Janata Dal · Samastipur · Samrat Choudhary · Shravan Kumar

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources