Student Harassment Investigation
Jamui Police Launch Investigation Following Viral Video of Student Harassment
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Key Points
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The encounter reportedly lasted about 20 minutes, although the two videos circulating online were only approximately 1 minute 2 seconds and 35 seconds long.
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According to one account, the group forced the two minors to apologise. The girl is heard pleading, “Please let us go, we promise that we would never come back here again,” before the pair were eventually allowed to leave.
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One video reportedly shows the youths questioning the girl about her name, address and the contents of her bag, while she repeatedly says that she and the boy are children and asks to be released.
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The reason for the confrontation has not been independently established; reports noted that several vehicles were parked at the location when the incident occurred.
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The videos appear to have been recorded by people at the scene, with one report saying that one of the men filmed the incident on his phone and another continued recording as the two minors tried to leave on their scooter.
Police in Bihar's Jamui district are investigating the harassment of two Class 10 students after a viral video showed a group of men stopping them on a roadside on September 19. The girl and boy were returning home on a scooter after coaching classes when they were intercepted, questioned, and groped during an encounter that lasted roughly 20 minutes, according to Moneycontrol. The footage prompted police to register a case under laws protecting minors, and authorities have arrested three suspects while identifying others involved.
The incident sparked outrage across India after video clips circulated on social media on September 20. The National Commission for Women and Bihar State Commission for Women both demanded swift action, while opposition leaders criticized the state government's handling of the case. Police say they traced the victims using a vehicle registration number visible in the video and filed a suo motu complaint — a case filed by authorities rather than a victim.
A 20-Minute Confrontation Caught on Video
The two minors were stopped by a group of six to seven men, some wearing masks, near Madwa hillock around 7 p.m. on September 19. OneIndia reported that the men questioned the girl about her name, address, and belongings while she repeatedly pleaded to be released. In one clip, she is heard saying, "Please let us go, we promise that we would never come back here again." The pair was eventually allowed to leave on their scooter.
Only about 1 minute 37 seconds of the roughly 20-minute encounter appears in the videos circulating online. Moneycontrol noted that the men filmed the incident on their phones, with one continuing to record as the minors attempted to leave. The reason for the confrontation remains unclear, though reports indicate several vehicles were parked at the location when it happened.
Police Act After Video Goes Viral on Social Media
No victim filed a formal complaint initially. Instead, Outlook India reported that Jamui Police took suo motu cognisance after the footage spread across social media on September 20. Officers traced the students using a vehicle registration number visible in the video, recorded their statements, and filed a First Information Report (FIR) on September 21. The case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, a criminal law that replaced the Indian Penal Code.
Police arrested three suspects and identified seven others involved in the harassment, according to Moneycontrol. Superintendent of Police Bishwajeet Dayal confirmed the arrests and revealed that a Special Investigation Team was set up to investigate further. Authorities are continuing raids to apprehend the remaining identified suspects.
National Women's Commission Demands Urgent Action
The National Commission for Women took suo motu cognisance of the case and directed the Bihar Director General of Police to file an action-taken report within seven days. Telangana Today reported that the NCW chairperson also demanded counselling support for the victims and measures to stop the video's circulation online to protect their identities. The Bihar State Commission for Women similarly called for a swift report from district authorities, promising "stern action against all those found involved."
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the government on social media, demanding strict prosecution under the POCSO Act. He questioned why the accused were not arrested immediately if the incident occurred on September 19, framing the case as evidence of widespread patriarchal violence. Jamui MLA Shreyasi Singh acknowledged the gravity of the incident, remarking that it had "brought shame."
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