Viral video shows woman assaulted in Bihar's Banka, police case filed

Police in Banka, Bihar, registered a case against six youths after a video of them allegedly assaulting a woman at Mandar Hill went viral. The clip, filmed on Sept 3, led to an investigation to identify the accused and the victim shown in it.

Police have registered a case against six unidentified youths after a video purportedly showing them allegedly behaving indecently with and assaulting a young woman at Mandar Hill, a prominent historical tourist site in Banka, went viral on social media, officials said.

The video, dated September 3, allegedly shows several youths behaving indecently with the woman and assaulting her with a slipper. It came to the attention of police on September 22 through the social media cell, following which Bounsi police initiated an investigation into the incident.

FIR Registered, Investigation Underway

According to the FIR, the viral video was received at around 2:45 pm on September 22 on the WhatsApp number of Bounsi Station House Officer (SHO) Pankaj Kumar Jha. Following directions from senior officials, Jha, along with a police team, reached Mandar Hill at around 3 pm and verified the location shown in the video.

The police investigation confirmed that the video had been filmed at Mandar Hill. The FIR states that six unidentified youths were allegedly involved in "indecent behaviour and obscene acts" with the young woman. It further states that the incident was recorded on video and later circulated on social media.

After verifying the location and the video, police launched efforts to identify both the youths and the woman featured in it. Villagers residing near Mandar Hill and local shopkeepers were questioned as part of the investigation.

Police said local shopkeepers indicated that the youths seen in the video appeared to be young men, but none could be clearly identified when the FIR was registered.

Bounsi SHO Pankaj Kumar Jha subsequently registered an FIR against six unidentified youths on the basis of his own statement. Police have included the viral video as crucial evidence in the investigation.

A case has been registered under Sections 74, 75, 76 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 66E and 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Police are now working to identify the accused based on their faces visible in the viral video and other available evidence.

The incident at Mandar Hill, a prominent tourist destination in Banka, has also raised questions over security arrangements at the site.

Recent Spate of Similar Incidents in Bihar

Banka's incident comes amid widespread public outrage following two recent incidents in Bihar. A video emerged on social media showing alleged indecent behaviour with a young girl near an embankment road in Jagat Singhpur village, under the jurisdiction of Karpuri Gram Police Station in Samastipur district. While the authenticity of the viral video from Samastipur has not been independently verified, the law enforcement authorities took swift action and arrested the four suspects following the widespread circulation of the footage.

Days earlier, a purported video from Jamui showcased the alleged harassment and assault of the two minors. After surfacing on social media, it led to public outrage and political reactions. In the Jamui case, the police have also taken action against social media accounts circulating the video, with an FIR reportedly registered against around 120 profiles for sharing footage that could reveal the identity of the minor. The officials have arrested Kundan Kumar, Faiyaz and Ramashish Kumar.

Jamui Police has appealed to people not to share any offensive or revealing videos/posts of minor victims on social media

Authorities said further legal action will be taken in accordance with law once the individuals involved are identified.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)