Caste and gender violence under scrutiny after horrific assault in rural Bihar
The rape and death of a 10-year-old Dalit girl in Muzaffarpur on May 26 has intensified the political scene in Bihar. The incident triggered state-wide outrage, prompting the National Commission for Women (NCW) to take suo motu cognisance and direct the state바카라s chief secretary and the director general of police (DGP) to conduct a thorough investigation. The opposition has strongly condemned the state government, organising protests and demanding justice.
The girl, who was raped in Muzaffarpur, died during treatment at the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH). The family of the girl has accused the hospital of negligence, while the hospital administration claimed that every effort was made to save her.
Commenting on the update of the investigation, Apsara, chairperson of Bihar State Women바카라s Commission, said, 바카라The Commission is taking this case very seriously. We are in contact with all officials concerned. The commission will soon set up its inquiry committee and go to Muzaffarpur and conduct an independent investigation.바카라
The Muzaffarpur incident involving a minor girl is not an isolated case. In the aftermath of this incident, reports of sexual violence against at least half a dozen other minor girls have emerged. According to recent reports, 10 minors are alleged to have been raped across Bihar within a single month.
The Other Cases
On May 6 and 25, girls aged three and four were raped in Danapur, Patna. On May 25, a 10-year-old was gang-raped in Saran. On May 26, a nine-year-old was raped in Turki, Muzaffarpur. On May 27, a 13-year-old was gang-raped in Rajgir. On May 28, an eight-year-old was raped in Darbhanga. On May 31, an 11-year-old was raped in Sitamarhi and another 11-year-old was raped in Katni, Muzaffarpur. On June 4, an 11-month-old baby was raped in Gaya.
The rising number of rape cases is raising serious questions about governance and the system of justice in the state. The Bihar Women바카라s Commission states that it currently has over 6,000 pending cases; the highest is from Begusarai alone바카라395 cases.
In response to the Muzaffarpur case, several arrests have been made and officials have been suspended. The Bihar government, facing severe criticism from all quarters, has taken disciplinary action against both police and healthcare officials. However, the Congress Party, which has been protesting against the issue, has labelled this as a mere eyewash.
State Congress President Rajesh Kumar says, 바카라The government is trying to bury the matter by suspending a few people. We will not tolerate this, and Congress will continue its agitation.바카라 He also confirmed that the issue will be included in the party바카라s upcoming election manifesto. Rape has become a serious issue in the state. The Congress Party in Bihar is working on a roadmap to tackle this.
The ruling JD(U), meanwhile, asserts that strong action has been taken and investigations are ongoing. The opposition does not have any work, and that is the reason they are politicising the issue, the JD(U) says.
However, except for one or two cases, the victim's family does not receive timely help, nor do the criminals get punished.
JD(U) party spokesperson Nihora Prasad Yadav said, 바카라The opposition is politicising the issue to divert attention from its criminal record. The people of Bihar know that crime is now more controlled than before. Whenever any crime occurs, swift action is taken and arrests are made.바카라
The JD(U) maintains that under its administration, crimes against women have reduced. But government data paints a grim picture. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows that rape cases in Bihar were 651 in 2018, 730 in 2019, 1,210 in 2020, 786 in 2021, and 881 in 2022.
According to data from the Union Home Ministry, there were 51,896 cases of sexual violence against women in India from 2019 to 2021. In this, 18,587 cases were registered in 2019, 15,359 cases in 2020, and 17,950 cases in 2021. Of these, Bihar accounted for 22,360 cases of missing girls, including 8,006 minors.
바카라These incidents reflect a deeply disturbing mindset,바카라 said Apsara. 바카라The rising statistics against women in the state are a matter of deep concern. The commission will review all incidents. Additionally, it will run awareness campaigns to make girls in colleges and schools more vigilant.바카라
To curb crime in Bihar, fast-track courts have been established to ensure that legal proceedings can be completed swiftly. There is a total of 179 fast-track courts in Bihar where cases related to serious crimes are being heard. The case concerning the incident involving a Dalit girl in Muzaffarpur has also been sent to the speedy trial court.
The Union government had created Nirbhaya Fund after the Nirbhaya incident to prevent rape cases and directed the establishment of courts (fast-track courts) for swift trials of such incidents. This is to provide some assistance to the victim's family in fighting their case and to ensure that criminals are punished quickly.
(Translation by Kaveri Mishra)