Patna: After a series of murders in recent weeks, Bihar has been rocked by a horrific case of gangrape.
A 26-year-old woman, one of the candidates in a Home Guard recruitment drive at Bodh Gaya, in Gaya district, was allegedly gangraped in a moving ambulance while she was being shifted to a hospital after collapsing during a physical test.
The brutal sexual assault took place on July 24 during the recruitment exercise at Bihar Military Police grounds in Bodh Gaya. According to police, the woman fainted during a race, which is part of standard physical endurance test for recruitment.
A driver and a technician have been arrested for the alleged gangrape after they were identified — as Vinay Kumar of Utren village in Gaya, who was reportedly driving the ambulance, and Ajit Kumar of Chandanpur village in Nalanda district — with the help of CCTV footage.
The woman’s statement was recorded before she was sent for a medical examination at Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College & Hospital.
A first information report (FIR) was registered under section 70(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) with Bodh Gaya police station.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Anand Kumar has ordered a special investigation team (SIT) to be formed under city superintendent of police Ramanand Kumar Kaushal. The SIT is being assisted by a forensic team.
“Police will complete the investigation soon and submit a chargesheet to the court with a recommendation for a speedy trial to ensure punishment for the accused,” Kumar said.
The woman said in her complaint that she lost consciousness during the physical test and was partially aware of what was going on in the ambulance. She later informed police and hospital authorities that three to four men raped her inside the ambulance.
The victim’s family raised a pertinent question – why was there no female staff in the ambulance despite only women appearing for the Home Guard recruitment?
The incident evoked a strong response from Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP Chirag Paswan, who criticised the law-and-order situation in Bihar and questioned the functioning of the state police.
“I feel sad that I am supporting a government where crime has become rampant. It is imperative to control it, or else the consequences will be very bad. This is playing with the lives of people here,” Chirag said.
Accusing the administration of bowing before criminals, Chirag further said: “A series of crimes like murder, rape, gangrape, dacoity, burglary, theft and eve teasing are taking place one after another in the state. Though action and arrests have taken place, it raises the question – why are such incidents happening in the state?”