"Angry at our protests, they beat us badly"
An Indian mother and daughter were beaten and had their hair shaved off after they resisted being raped by a group of men.
The two women were then forced to walk through the streets in Bihar on June 26, 2019. The incident took place in Vaishali district, near Bihar’s capital city Patna.
According to the victims, they were alone at home when a group of men forced their way into their home.
The men tried to sexually assault the newlywed 19-year-old girl but her mother prevented it. Both were then beaten.
A barber was made to shave their hair off before they were taken through the streets. The men blamed the victims for their “loose character”.
The girl said: “I, along with my mother, was alone in my house last evening when five men from the neighbourhood forcibly entered the house and tried to sexually assault us, which we both protested.
“Angry at our protests, they beat us badly, dragged us out of the home and paraded us through the street after getting our heads tonsured.”
She alleged that the men beat her and her mother with sticks.
The police registered a case against the suspects and arrested three of the men involved. Police are also conducting raids to arrest the other men.
Police official Sanjay Kumar said: “We have arrested three men while raids were on to nab the other accused persons. They will be caught soon.”
Police have said that among the arrested suspects was a local village council official named Mohammad Khurshid.
He had led the attempted rape and called the barber to shave the women’s heads after they resisted. The barber was also arrested.
The Indian mother accused Khurshid of harassing her daughter over the last several months.
On June 27, 2019, Vaishali Superintendent of Police Manavjeet Singh Dhillon said seven people have been named in the First Information Report (FIR). Some of the suspects have gone on the run.
The Bihar State Women’s Commission has condemned the incident and has sought strong action against the accused.
The Commission’s Chairperson Dilmani Mishra said:
“The incident is highly condemnable. I will visit the women very soon and recommend for stern action against the accused persons.
“Further action will be taken on the basis of the inquiry report.”
The incident has exposed the prevailing issue of law and order situation in the state.
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