Patna: Darbhanga police finally came to the rescue of a Dalit college girl who was allegedly being harassed by some residents on her way to college.

Darbhanga senior superintendent of police (SSP) Satyaveer Singh deployed two constables at the girl's house under the jurisdiction of Biraul police station after she sought his intervention in lodging a case seeking action against her tormenters.

Biraul police station house officer (SHO) Jitendra Narayan Singh the girl alleged in her complaint that her neighbours were preventing her from going to college where she was enrolled as a student of BA (Part II). Her college in Darbhanga is 17km from where house in the village. She lives in Darbhanga but keeps visiting her village too.

She said in her complaint that some residents undressed and beat her up when she refused to follow their diktat, to not pursue higher studies. The matter was raised at the local panchayat, which too backed the accused.

She told the police she was publicly humiliated at the panchayat meeting. Her father, a daily wager, was taken to task for not adhering to its directive against letting her study. The local police, however, didn't entertain her complaint, allegedly under pressure from the accused.

On Thursday, she met SSP Satyaveer Singh and narrated her ordeal. The SSP ordered the Biraul police SHO to register a complaint and take action against the accused. On Saturday, a police team led by Biraul sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Suresh Prasad visited the spot and arrested three of the 13 named accused in the case. The SSP directed the Biraul police to hand over investigation of the case to the woman police station where senior police officials interrogated the arrested people, Ashok Ram, Radheshyam Ram and Bauwan Ram. The Biraul SHO said the accused have been booked on the charge of assault and eveteasing.

Darbhanga additional superintendent of police Dilnawaz Ahmad said raids were on to nab the 10 other accused, absconding since the incident. The constables apart, the village chowkidar has been asked to keep a close eye on the girl's house.

The girl reiterated she would continue to fight for justice. " Nyay ke liye ladh rahi hoon (I am striving for justice)," she said. Her brother said the SDPO and SHO of the woman police station enquired about the incident from his sister and other family members. "I hope justice is done to us now," he said. The girl lives around 4km north of the Biraul police station in Darbhanga district.