IBNS-CMEDIA: Police shot one of the key accused in the legs after arresting him in connection with the alleged sexual assault and harassment of two minors in Bihar’s Jamui district, an incident that triggered widespread outrage after a video of the episode went viral on social media.
The accused has been identified as Nandan Yadav.
The incident reportedly took place on September 19 when a Class 10 girl and her male friend were allegedly intercepted and harassed in Jamui, located around 150 km from state capital Patna.
According to reports, the girl was allegedly grabbed, groped and sexually assaulted, while her male friend was allegedly assaulted by the accused.
The incident came to light after a video of the alleged assault went viral on social media. Police have since established that the video was filmed by one Ramashish Choudhary, who remains absconding, according to the Hindustan Times.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the case.
The victims reportedly did not initially approach the police due to alleged threats and fear of the accused.
Three accused have been arrested so far.
“Although the incident is two days old, no complaint was made before us by the boy or the girl till Sunday. Today, when the video went viral, we traced the victims with the help of the registration number of a vehicle visible in the clip,” Jamui Superintendent of Police Vishwajeet Dayal told reporters, as quoted by the Hindustan Times.
An FIR has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to reports, the victims were returning from an outing on September 19 when the accused allegedly intercepted them, purportedly on the pretext of “moral policing”.
“In our preliminary investigation, we have found that the video of the assault was taken by one of the miscreants and later, it is most likely, one of those involved in the offence made it viral on social media. We are investigating the matter from all angles,” a senior police officer earlier told the Hindustan Times.
Meanwhile, remarks by a local leader describing the incident as “petty” have triggered further criticism.
Reacting to Opposition allegations that Bihar was witnessing a return of “Jungle Raj”, Bihar Minister Shrawon Kumar said that crime could not be completely eliminated.
“It can’t be denied that petty incidents do take place. Crime hasn’t ended in the world,” he said, while assuring that the government would investigate the matter and take strict action against those responsible.
The remarks have added to the political controversy surrounding the case, with Opposition leaders questioning the government’s handling of issues concerning the safety of women and children.
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