Bihar molestation cases put women’s safety and ‘sushasan’ claims under scrutiny

A series of incidents involving harassment, humiliation and molestation of girls, including minors, in broad daylight in Bihar over the last week has renewed the spotlight on women’s safety in the state. It has also raised questions over repeated claims of “kanoon ka raj” (rule of law) and “sushasan” (good governance) by the BJP-led NDA government.

After last week’s molestation of a Class 10 minor girl by a group of youths in Jamui, similar cases have been reported in Samastipur, Banka, Muzaffarpur and Saran since early this week. The incidents have sparked a fresh debate over rising crimes against women and created panic about their safety in the state.

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Amid nationwide outrage and questions over law and order, Bihar police have arrested accused in the Jamui, Samastipur and Banka cases and decided to conduct speedy trials to ensure punishment within a month.

Safety fears grow louder

This fear is visible in young college student Priya Kumari’s decision to postpone a day-long trip to Rajgir in Nalanda district on Sunday (September 27). “We fear for our safety and are not in the mood to take a risk by venturing outside,” said Priya, who is pursuing a professional course.

Priya (name changed) and a few friends, including boys and girls, were scheduled to visit Rajgir, about 90 km from Patna, but their parents are not letting them go following the recent incidents.

Another teenage girl, Ankita Rani, a Class 12 student in Gaya district, said the safety concern was growing. “Girls are not safe. My parents have asked me to be alert while going to school and not to step outside after dark. This is common,” she said.

Several students outside Patna Women’s College said fear had increased manifold after the Jamui and other incidents. “We have to live in fear. We do not feel safe outside. Jamui and other such incidents reflect the ground reality,” said Nuzhat Fatima.

“Kanoon ka koi dar nahi hai aur mansikta bhi ganda hai, isiliye Jamui jaisa ghatna ho raha hai (There is no fear of the law, and the mindset is also bad. That is why incidents like the one in Jamui are happening),” said another student on condition of anonymity.

Why women still feel unsafe

Women’s activist Kanchan Bala said crimes against women were not new in Bihar, but the recent series of molestation incidents had scared women. “In our male-dominated society, women are treated as nothing more than objects of pleasure or lust. This mindset results in crimes against women, including molestation, rape and other sexual abuse.”

Bala’s point comes against a backdrop of repeated cases. The alleged rape and death of a NEET aspirant in Patna in January led to public anger and protests, but nearly nine months later, her family is yet to get justice. Her mother has repeatedly alleged that police were suppressing facts to protect powerful people.

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, crimes against women in Bihar rose from 15,259 cases in 2020 to 20,222 in 2022 and 22,952 in 2023. The figure is likely to rise further in the NCRB’s 2024 data.

Bala, who has been associated with fact-finding reports on crimes against women for over two decades, said low conviction and punishment encouraged such crimes. “Nothing has changed. Women are still treated badly, abused, humiliated, harassed, tortured, molested and sexually exploited. I have great hope from Gen Z girls to protest against such incidents, take to the streets and force authorities to punish the accused.”

Also read | Jamui: Video of roadside harassment of girl and boy sparks outrage; SIT formed, 3 held

Housewife Indu Devi, mother of two young daughters, echoed her concerns. “We also want to live with dignity and safety, without fear. Our patriarchal society gives old and young men the confidence to harass, abuse, touch and molest women, while the government has failed to implement strong safety measures. We live in fear,” she said.

Jamui case triggers crackdown

To restore confidence in women’s safety, Bihar chief secretary Pratyay Amrit on Thursday directed district police chiefs to tighten policing and adopt zero tolerance towards such crimes. Bihar police headquarters has also deployed 36 IPS officers, including ADG, IG and DIG-rank officers, in different districts to strengthen law and order.

On September 19, a 16-year-old girl and her male classmate were returning on a scooter after taking photographs and making videos near Madwa-Pratappur, close to the Jamui-Lakhisarai National Highway, when a group of youths stopped them. They assaulted the boy, grabbed the girl and tried to drag her to a deserted spot before molesting her. Passers-by eventually intervened. The incident came to light after the accused recorded it and uploaded the video on social media.

After the video went viral, Jamui Police registered an FIR under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the POCSO Act and formed an SIT. Five accused were arrested, including prime accused Nandan Yadav, who was shot in the leg during an encounter while allegedly trying to evade arrest. Another accused, Hareram Yadav, fractured his leg while fleeing. Police said the two had criminal backgrounds and were involved in illegal sand mining and illicit liquor trade.

Police also arrested Ramashish Choudhary for uploading the video. Jamui Superintendent of Police Vishwajit Dayal said action had been initiated against 225 social media account holders for sharing the video and revealing the minor’s identity. Police appealed to people not to circulate it again.

Opposition targets NDA over safety

After Jamui, similar incidents were reported in Samastipur and Banka. In Samastipur, a viral video showed four youths allegedly harassing and assaulting a minor girl. Police arrested four accused, including Awadhesh Paswan and Rambabu Sahni. In Banka, police arrested three accused in a case of alleged harassment and attempted molestation after a video went viral.

The incidents have triggered protests and criticism of the NDA government. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav and Pappu Yadav, have questioned women’s safety and the law and order situation. Congress and student organisations staged protests in Bihar.

Ruling NDA leaders have defended the government. Minister Shrawon Kumar called the Jamui incident a “chhitput ghatna” (isolated incident), while Ashok Choudhary said such incidents occur from America to Japan. Minister Dilip Jaiswal alleged a conspiracy by the RJD to defame the government.

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The issue has also put Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary in the spotlight. Referring to the Jamui case, he said the accused would not have been caught had they not recorded and uploaded the incident, raising questions over whether similar cases may have gone unreported.

The controversy intensified after the victim’s photograph and identity were briefly posted on Choudhary’s official social media handle on Friday. Following demands for action, police registered an FIR against Sagar Prasad, a Chief Minister’s Office official, for posting the photograph. The move has been criticised as an attempt to shield Choudhary.