Schoolgirl Stripped, Molested by 7 Men on Bihar Road; One Arrested After Video Goes Viral
Bihar, August 27: The police on Monday arrested one of the perpetrators seen in the video while the identities of six other assailants are yet to be ascertained.
Only two days after a video of a woman being molested in Bihar's Gaya district went viral, another such shocking video has surfaced in Saharsa, in which seven men can be seen molesting a schoolgirl on a village road while she cries for help.
The police on Monday arrested one of the perpetrators seen in the video while the identities of six other assailants are yet to be ascertained. Saharsa Superintendent of Police, Rakesh Kumar told News18 that a cop received the video on WhatsApp after which, an alert was sounded in all district police stations.
Soon, the spot where the incident took place was identified. Later, Sadar police station SHO nabbed one of the assailants.
"We are trying to locate the victim and record her statement. Even if the girl does not wish to file a complaint, we will pursue the case based on the video. An FIR has been lodged by the officer who received the video. Our job is to bring all culprits to book," the SP said.
In the video, the girl is seen riding a bicycle when a group of young men accost her and try to waylay her towards the side of the road. While one in the group tries to save her, the others pound on him. Meanwhile, the other boys grope the schoolgirl, snatch her dupatta when she breaks down.
The Nitish Kumar government has been at the receiving end of severe criticism from opposition parties and civil society for a sudden spurt in crime against women, including several videos of women being molested coming to fore.
In May this year, three disturbing cases of sexual assault were reported from Jehanabad while a woman was raped in front of her husband on a busy road in Gaya.
Bihar Police data on crime against woman show a disturbing rise between January and May this year. In January, 74 cases of rape were recorded in the state, which went up to to 184 in May.
Earlier this month, the Bihar government was left red faced when the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal surfaced in which 34 minor inmates were sexually abused over a prolonged period of time.
Courtesy: www.news18.com
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Kerala enters silence campaigning phase; Candidates make last-mile outreach
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala on Wednesday entered the mandatory silence period ahead of the April 9 Assembly polls, with candidates and party workers making last-ditch efforts to reach out to voters through door-to-door visits and personal contacts.
After nearly a month-long campaigning period, a total of 2.71 crore voters would exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 883 candidates in the crucial polling for the 140-member Assembly to be held on Thursday.
With high-decibel campaigning ending on Tuesday evening, the focus has now shifted to quiet, direct voter engagement, as candidates seek to secure support from all sections of voters in their constituencies.
Prohibitory orders have been imposed in sensitive constituencies to prevent any untoward incidents, while distribution of polling materials is being carried out across the state from Wednesday morning.
According to the Election Commission, campaigning through public meetings, rallies, media interactions and election-related interviews is strictly prohibited during the silence period to ensure a level playing field for all stakeholders.
In an advisory, the Commission directed star campaigners and political leaders to refrain from addressing the media through press conferences or interviews on poll-related matters during this period. Of the total 2.71 crore voters, 1.32 crore are men, 1.39 crore women and 273 transgender persons, along with over 2.42 lakh overseas voters.
The contest is primarily among three fronts -- the CPI(M)-led LDF, the Congress-led UDF and the BJP-led NDA.
The state's Chief Electoral Officer, Rathan U Kelkar, has said that all arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of polls.
A total of 30,495 polling stations have been set up across Kerala, including 24 auxiliary booths created following the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, he said.
These additional booths are located in Kasaragod, Kannur, Palakkad, Malappuram and Ernakulam districts.
Among the polling stations, 352 will be managed entirely by women and 37 by persons with disabilities, Kelkar said.
He added that 140 distribution and collection centres have been established, while counting will take place at 140 strongrooms and 43 locations.
As part of security measures, around 2,000 persons identified as potential troublemakers have been placed under preventive detention. Authorities have also executed about 11,000 non-bailable warrants and removed over 3,400 social media posts for alleged violations of poll norms.
The conclusion of public campaigning on Tuesday evening saw a vibrant display of political mobilisation across the state, with roadshows, rallies and processions filling town centres, marked by party flags, drum beats and slogan-shouting workers.
Apart from traditional canvassing, political parties also relied heavily on television, print media and social media platforms to reach voters during the campaign period.
