Patna, Oct. 16: All is not well with women security in Bihar. Crime of all sorts — eve-teasing, ragging, rape and murder — have been reported in the past few weeks and when you inquire from police, they dismiss the incidents as “yeah sub chalta hai (these things happen)”.
The latest incident of crime against women has been reported from East Champaran district where a girl student claimed she was tortured on the pretext of ragging. The victim, a first-year student of Motihari Engineering College, reported the matter to the college administration, which forwarded the complaint to the police for investigation.
“I remained unconscious for several hours on the institute’s premises. When I regained consciousness, I reported the matter to the institute’s higher ups,” she said.
The girl named three seniors — Gaurav Kumar, Vivek Kumar and Rachna Kumari — in her complaint. “We have lodged an FIR against the three students and their role in the episode is being probed,” said Shashi Nath Ojha, principal-cum-officer on special duty.
East Champaran superintendent of police (SP) Ganesh Kumar said: “We are not in a haste to make any arrest in connection with the incident. Action will be taken only after verification of the allegations levelled against the accused.”
Barely a week ago, a 15-year-old girl belonging to Mahadalit community, was allegedly gangraped and set on fire by some influential persons at Araria Barwa village under Sohbhadra police station in West Champaran district. The victim, who received more than 60 per cent burn injuries, is battling for life at the MJK Hospital at Bettiah, the district headquarters of West Champaran.
The girl, in her statement, accused seven villagers of rape and murder bid. “The accused persons have been booked under Section 307 (attempt to murder) and not under section 376 (rape),” said Sunil Rao, an activist of the CPI-ML (Liberation). Rao said one of the accused was caught red-handed by some villagers and later handed over to the police. “The role of the station house officer and the deputy superintendent of police is suspicious in the case as one of the accused belongs to an affluent family,” the activist added.
The situation in the state capital is not different from the districts. A student of Magadh Mahila College was harassed by some drunken youths near Income Tax roundabout under Kotwali police station on October 13.
