Bihar: Migrant Worker Seeks Justice for Minor Daughter who was Allegedly Gangraped and Burnt Alive

Patna: A week after a minor girl in a village in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district was allegedly gang-raped and burnt alive, her father – a migrant worker – is still seeking arrest of the accused who are absconding.

The victim, who was living along with her grandparents and an elder sister in the village under Sahibganj police station, was reportedly raped by a group of four youths on January 3. The accused were attempting to bury the victim’s burnt body when her elder sister witnessed the scene and informed their grandparents and neighbours.

Soon after, the victim’s father, who works in Punjab as a migrant worker, rushed back to his village and lodged an FIR naming four accused in the local police station.

The victim’s father told NewsClick, “I am shocked and helpless, I don’t know how I will get justice for her. I am working outside Bihar and had left both of my daughters in the village with my parents after my wife died a few years back.”

Muzaffarpur Senior Superintendent of Police Jayant Kant has directed SDPO Sariyya to investigate the case. He said that action will be taken against the accused on the basis of the report.

Jayant Kant told NewsClick that the accused have been absconding and local police have yet to arrest them.

However, Sahibganj Police Station’s officer in charge Anup Kumar has alleged that the incident was connected with a love affair as first the girl was raped by her boyfriend on December 2. “Later he shared her nude picture with his friends, who blackmailed the victim and raped her. The victim died by suicide by setting herself ablaze. It is true that the victim was harassed and blackmailed by the accused who then raped her,” he added.

Notably, this is the third case of rape reported in Bihar in the past 72 hours. A 20 year-old physically disabled girl was gang-raped and blinded in a village in Madhubani district. Later, one of the accused was arrested by the police.

While Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hardly misses any opportunity to mention his claims about good governance and rule of law under his government, reports are showing an increase in crimes including rape, murder, kidnapping, dacoity as well as growing clout of the liquor mafia in the “dry state”.

The Opposition leaders have accused the government of failing to control crime in the state and termed the prevailing situation as complete lawlessness.