The mother of the main accused in the alleged harassment of a minor girl and her male companion in Bihar's Jamui has alleged that police staged the encounter in which her son was shot in the leg, and urged the government to give him “one more chance to reform.”
The woman alleged that her son was caught near a cowshed close to a river and claimed that police later placed weapons or contraband in his hands to make the encounter appear genuine.
“I wasn't informed about the incident initially. I came to know about it later. They just put on a show (encounter) to save their jobs. He was among the buffaloes near the river when they caught him. There is a river nearby, a short distance away. I don't know the exact time, but they did it during the day. The police took me to the station, so I don't know precisely when he was arrested,” she said.
According to the accused's mother, her son had gone to the location after receiving a phone call from a local village boy who summoned him.
She claimed that her son was innocent and urged the government to give him another opportunity.
“My son was innocent. Someone called him on the phone and summoned him, a local village boy. So, he went there. Now, we urge the government to give him one more chance to reform. What else can I say?” she said.
She further alleged that her son apologised after seeing the police but was abused and forced to run before being shot in the leg.
“They forced my son to run. My son took just two steps, and they shot him in the leg. They forced him to run. And just for show, to save their own jobs, they handed weapons or contraband into my son's hands. He doesn't have a gun or bullet,” she alleged.
“I haven't seen or heard it myself, but people are saying he was shot in the leg,” she added.
The woman said her son usually lived away from home and worked as a driver. She said he had returned home to take her back from her parents' house and had stayed to help with farming work, planning to leave after Vishwakarma Puja.
“All five of them, whoever was in his company, everyone should receive the exact same punishment, and all of them should be shot. They should get the same punishment,” she said.
Earlier, on September 22, police sources said the main accused in the alleged harassment of the minor and her male companion was shot in the leg during a police encounter in the Town Police Station area.
The action followed the circulation of a purported video on social media showing a minor girl and her male companion allegedly being harassed and molested by a group of youths in Jamui.
Jamui Superintendent of Police Vishwajeet Dayal had said police received information about the incident on September 21 through the viral video, following which an FIR was registered and a Special Investigation Team was formed.
Three accused were initially arrested, while Bihar Additional Director General (Law and Order) KS Anupam later confirmed the arrest of Nandan Yadav along with his accomplices.
Meanwhile, the parents of the minor victim met Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and demanded strict action against those accused of harassing their daughter. The victim's mother said she was satisfied with the government's response and that the Chief Minister had assured the family of her daughter's safety and education.
Police have invoked relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in the case. The National Commission for Women has also taken suo motu cognisance of the matter.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
