A video allegedly showing a young woman being harassed by a group of youths at Bihar's popular tourist destination, Mandar Hill, has gone viral on social media, prompting fresh concerns over women's safety in the state. The incident comes just days after similar cases were reported from Jamui and Samastipur.
The viral footage has triggered strong political reactions, with Union Minister Chirag Paswan describing the incidents as "shameful" and asserting that the government cannot evade accountability. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav alleged that the recurrence of such incidents points to a serious deterioration in law and order across Bihar.
According to police, a case was registered at Bounsi Police Station in Banka district after authorities took cognisance of the video, which was received through WhatsApp on September 22. Preliminary investigations indicate that the footage was recorded on June 3. Officials said an investigation into the matter is currently underway.
As per the First Information Report (FIR), the woman had visited Mandar Hill with two friends when three youths allegedly abused and threatened them and behaved indecently with her. Police stated that one of the accused, identified as Abdullah, allegedly forced one of the woman's friends to transfer Rs 1,500 online before allowing the group to leave.
The other accused have been identified as Nitish Kumar Rai and Vikas Kumar. Police said raids are being conducted to apprehend all three individuals.
Authorities have also registered a separate case against persons accused of circulating the video on social media and allegedly attempting to reveal the identity of the woman, officials said.
The incident has drawn additional attention because it follows recent harassment cases in Jamui and Samastipur. In Jamui, a teenage girl was reportedly harassed, while in Samastipur, four people were arrested after a video allegedly showing a girl being harassed surfaced online.
Reacting to the latest case, Chirag Paswan said merely arresting offenders or conducting encounters would not be enough. He called for accountability from officials responsible for maintaining law and order in areas where such incidents occurred.
"Such incidents are happening in our presence. We should be so ashamed that we feel like sinking into the ground," Paswan said, stressing that repeated crimes involving young women could not be overlooked.
The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief further demanded action against officials under whose jurisdiction the incidents took place, stating that the government could not "run away from accountability."
On the other hand, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav accused the state government of failing to maintain law and order. Referring to the Mandar Hill incident and recent cases in Jamui and Samastipur, Yadav alleged that the administration's response to criminal cases was influenced by the caste and social background of the accused.
In a social media post, Yadav questioned when the accused in the Banka case would be arrested.He also sought details regarding the status of the remaining accused in the Jamui case and the action taken against those arrested in Samastipur.
The latest incident has once again brought the issue of women's safety and law enforcement in Bihar into sharp focus, with opposition leaders and ruling alliance members alike calling for stronger accountability and swift action against those responsible.