A nine-year-old Dalit girl was reportedly raped and brutally assaulted in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district last week.

According to NDTV, the accused, identified as Rohit Sahni, allegedly lured the child with snacks, took her to a deserted spot, raped her, and then slit her throat before fleeing. The child was later found by her mother in a semi-naked, bloodied state.

She was reportedly first taken to Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) in Muzaffarpur and later referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH).

Her family has alleged that she had to wait for six hours outside PMCH before being attended to on Saturday. The girl died on Sunday.

But the PMCH authorities have denied any delay in treatment.

"When she was admitted here, we provided complete medical care from our side. The family's claims that there was a delay in treatment are baseless. We did everything we could. We consulted all the departments that needed to be involved and ensured she received treatment in the ICU as well," PMCH Superintendent in-charge Abhijit Singh was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Political reactions

The incident has triggered a political slugfest, with the Opposition parties targeting the Nitish Kumar-led BJP-JDU government over both law and order and healthcare delivery.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) posted on X, “Muzaffarpur's rape survivor daughter has lost. 'Chair' Kumar's cruel and indifferent system has won. The system that differentiates between rich and poor has won, and humanity has lost.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also criticised the state government. “The brutality against a minor Dalit girl in Muzaffarpur and the subsequent negligence in her treatment is extremely shameful. If she had received timely treatment, her life could have been saved. But the double-engine government was negligent not only in providing security but also in saving her life,” he said in a post on X.

"We will not sit quietly until the victim's family gets justice. Strict action should be taken against the culprits and negligent officers," Gandhi added.

On Monday, Union minister Nityanand Rai said, "The NDA government is developing Bihar and is also maintaining the law and order. The government takes cognisance of any misconduct by any official, takes action and serves justice. During the Lalu-Rabri regime, criminals and corrupt people were safeguarded. They were rewarded instead of being punished. NDA takes action against corrupt."

Tamil Nadu Youth Congress posted on their X handle, "It’s a shame on the @NitishKumar governance!! A Dalit rape victim was not allowed to be admitted to PMCH. She kept suffering in the ambulance for hours... she was not given treatment! Untill @rajeshkrinc ji and Congress karyakartas staged a protest, the system did not wake up. Is it a crime to be a Dalit? Or to be a daughter?"

Several Congress workers held a protest on Sunday, demanding justice.

Speaking at the protest, Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram said, "There are two aspects to this case. First, that she was raped. After the rape, there was a brutal attempt to murder her. And second, the government left no stone unturned in its negligence. Due to the delay in treatment, that girl is no longer alive. For this, the government is directly responsible for the failure of the healthcare system. Go see for yourself."