New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday criticised the alleged molestation of two Class 10 students in Bihar’s Jamui district, questioning the delay in the arrest of those involved and raising concerns over the safety of girls and women in public spaces.
“The video from Jamui, Bihar is deeply disturbing. Two Class 10 students were stopped on a road. Harassed. Humiliated. Molested. A young girl, hands folded, begged to be let go while goons groped her and dragged her away”, Gandhi said in a post on X.
“Who gave these men the right to behave like this? This is not “culture.” It is patriarchy: the belief that any man can police a girl’s body, her movement, her choices,” he said.
Gandhi further said that such attitudes are normalised by ‘Andhbhakts’.
“When control is mistaken for culture, and such attitudes are normalised by Andhbhakts, mobs start believing they are the law,” Gandhi said.
He further said that the Bihar government must answer why a girl is not safe on a public road.
“Every individual in that video must be identified and prosecuted under POCSO, and justice must be swift. And if the incident happened on September 19th, why are the culprits not behind bars yet? And the Bihar government must answer why a girl is not safe on a public road at 7 pm,” he said.
The incident came to light after a video purportedly showing the alleged harassment and molestation of a young boy and girl, both reportedly Class 10 students at a private school in Jamui town, while they were travelling on a scooter after attending coaching classes, surfaced on social media.
According to an official, the incident took place in the border area between Jamui and Lakhisarai, near the jurisdiction of Jamui Town police station.
The video allegedly shows a group of people stopping the two riders and molesting the young girl.
At one point, a man grabbed the girl by the neck and lifted her off the ground, holding her from underneath.
The boy immediately ran towards her and intervened. During the scuffle, one of the men also touched her breast.
When the young boy accompanying her reportedly objected, he was also assaulted.
One of the individuals present reportedly recorded the incident, and the video was subsequently shared on social media.
The authenticity and precise circumstances of the video have not been independently verified.
The emergence of the video has triggered concern among local residents, particularly over the safety of girls and women travelling in the area.
Jamui police have taken the matter seriously and initiated an investigation.
Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident and are being questioned.
Police are also examining the video to identify other people who may have been involved in the terrifying incident.
DSP, Cyber, Abhishek Kumar said the incident had come to the police’s attention and that an investigation was underway.
He said preliminary information indicated that the incident occurred in the border area between Jamui and Lakhisarai.
The officer said the exact circumstances and other details would become clear only after the investigation is completed.
Police are continuing efforts to identify all those involved and determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
(IANS)
