Bihar sees third harassment case in a week, woman assaulted at tourist spot

A video of a group of men behaving indecently toward a young woman and assaulting her male friend at a popular tourist site in Bihar has surfaced on social media — the third such incident in a week, sparking outrage in the state.

Police said a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against six youths in connection with the incident at Mandar Hill in Banka.

The video shows several youths mostly behaving indecently with the woman and assaulting her with a slipper. One of them is also seen threatening her. The age of the woman could not be immediately determined.

According to news agency PTI, Bousni police learnt about the incident on September 22 through social media and initiated an investigation into the matter. Police later confirmed the incident at Mandar Hill.

Also Read | Another teen sexually harassed in Bihar's Samastipur after Jamui horror; 4 arrested

The FIR states that six unidentified youths were allegedly involved in "indecent behaviour and obscene acts" with the young woman. It also states that the incident was recorded on video and later circulated on social media.

As part of its probe, the police launched efforts to identify both the youths and the woman featured in it. Villagers residing near Mandar Hill and local shopkeepers were questioned, they said.

Bounsi Station House Officer (SHO) Pankaj Kumar Jha said the FIR was registered against six unidentified youths on the basis of his own statement. Police have included the viral video as crucial evidence in the investigation.

Also Read | 2 accused of harassing minors in Bihar's Jamui arrested after police encounter

The case was registered under sections 74, 75, 76 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 66E and 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Banka's incident comes amid widespread public outrage following two recent incidents in Bihar.

On Wednesday, four people were arrested in connection with a video showing a teenaged girl and man being harassed in broad daylight in Samastipur. In the video, the men are seen sexually assaulting the girl and grabbing her by her arms, even as she struggles to free herself. They are also seen hurling indecent remarks and passing gestures at her.

Police said they took suo motu cognisance of the matter since the survivor is yet to be identified and traced.

Also Read | 72 hours in Bihar's Jamui: How a harassment video triggered police action, political row

Days before the Samastipur incident, five people were arrested in connection with a video of a group of men allegedly sexually assaulting a Class 10 schoolgirl and harassing her male friend in Jamui district.

The assault – that triggered the massive outrage in the state and across the country – took place on the evening of September 19 in Jamui, around 150km from Patna, when the two teenagers were returning from a local scenic spot Mawara Hill on a two-wheeler.

The Opposition has repeatedly hit out at the government over the law and order in the state.

“I am asking the Prime Minister, what should I call this state by? You decide, Prime Minister. Whatever you say, we will accept it. You go to elections and narrate 20 to 25-year-old fairy tales because someone handed you a written script. Say something at least for once. And stop treating Bihar as merely a voting state,” RJD MP Manoj Jha said on Thursday.

Samastipur MP from Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) Shambhavi Choudhary posted on X: “The incident of misconduct with one of our sisters in Karpoorigram of Samastipur is extremely condemnable and unfortunate.”