- A woman was sexually harassed by a mob in Nalanda, Bihar over affair suspicion
- The incident occurred on March 26 in Ajaypur village and was caught on video
- Two accused have been arrested, police are searching for others involved
In a shocking incident in Bihar, a woman was sexually harassed by a mob on a street over suspicion that she was having an extramarital affair. The men were seen groping and dragging her in a viral video clip. The incident occurred in Ajaypur village in Nalanda district on March 26. Two accused have been arrested in this connection.
Recounting the horror, the mother of three said that she had gone to recharge her mobile when the villagers spotted her with the mobile repair technician and suspected that they were having an affair.
Soon, a crowd gathered, and the gate was locked from outside, she told NDTV. "The members of my own community arrived, after which I was subjected to harassment and physical assault," the woman said.
"The villagers harassed me," she added. She was manhandled and dragged through the street, the video showed.
She claimed the villagers assaulted her and tried to forcibly apply sindoor on her forehead after she managed to climb out of the shop through a window.
"The window was blocked by a brick. I removed it and climbed out. As soon as I got out, the people thrashed me and tried to strangle me. Some tried to force me to get married and tried to forcibly apply sindoor on my forehead. I kept weeping and pleaded that I could not get married," she added.
She somehow escaped the scene and reported the incident to police.
The woman lives with her mother-in-law and her three children in the village. Her husband works as a daily-wage labourer in Pune and was not home at that time. On being informed, he rushed back to Nalanda.
The police swung into action as the video of the incident went viral. A police team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sanjay Jaiswal reached the woman's house and met her family.
The woman had filed a complaint on the day of the incident, police said, adding that while Ashok Yadav and Matlu Mahto are in custody, a search is underway for others seen in the video.
"We are currently investigating this case. So far, we have arrested two individuals in connection with this matter, and the third named accused will be arrested very soon," said DSP Jaiswal.
The police are also ensuring that the family does not receive any threats.
Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav condemned the incident and slammed the government over law and order.
"It was a gang rape attempt. Those who misbehaved with the woman tore off her clothes. This presents a scary picture of the collapsed law and order in Bihar," he alleged.
