Jamui harassment case: prime accused shot in leg, arrested; Bihar Police say all accused held

PATNA: The prime accused in the alleged harassment of a Class 10 girl and her male friend in Bihar's Jamui district was arrested on Tuesday after he sustained a bullet injury in his leg during an exchange of fire with police, officers said.

Nandan Yadav, 25, was shot in the leg when he allegedly fired at a police team that had gone to a riverbank on the outskirts of Pratappur village following a tip-off. His co-accused, Hare Ram Yadav, also 25, injured his leg while attempting to flee the spot and was later admitted to hospital for treatment. Both are residents of Pratappur village and work as casual tractor drivers, Superintendent of Police Vishwajeet Dayal said.

Describing the sequence of events, Mr. Dayal said the police team reached the riverbank on Tuesday morning when a man, on spotting the personnel, began running. He was caught after a chase and identified himself as Hare Ram Yadav, who told the police that Nandan Yadav was hiding nearby. "As police spotted Nandan Yadav hiding behind tall bushes and grass, he fired upon the police, and a brief exchange ensued, following which he was arrested with a shot in the leg," the SP said. Both accused have been admitted to the Jamui Sadar hospital for medical assistance.

Mr. Dayal said five persons have been arrested in the case so far and that further arrests were possible as the investigation progresses. He said both men had a history of involvement in illegal sand transportation, bootlegging and other unlawful activities in the area, and that the police were verifying their antecedents.

Three minors were apprehended in the case on September 21. On Tuesday morning, Ramshish Choudhary, who is alleged to have recorded the video of the incident that circulated widely on social media, was taken into custody, the police said. A Special Investigation Team headed by senior police officer Deepti Monali was constituted after the video went viral.

At the State police headquarters in Patna, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) K.S. Anupam said all persons involved in the incident had been arrested and were being interrogated by the local police. She confirmed that Nandan Yadav was the prime accused and that he is seen in the video with an orange towel wrapped around his face, lifting the girl forcibly.

Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said all those involved in the incident had been identified and that strict action would be taken against them. Minister for Rural Development and Information and Public Relations Shrawan Kumar said the government was working to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

The incident occurred on September 19, when the girl and her friend, both Class 10 students, were returning on a two-wheeler from Marwa Hill after their coaching classes in Jamui, about 150 km from Patna. According to the complaint, a group of men intercepted them on a deserted stretch of the Jamui-Lakhisarai road, harassed both youngsters, and the girl was groped and lifted forcibly by one of them. A video of the episode surfaced two days later and drew widespread public condemnation.

The case has renewed attention to the safety of girls and young women in public spaces, a concern that has been raised across several States in recent years. Under Indian law, an accused is presumed innocent until guilt is established, and injuries caused during police operations are ordinarily subject to magisterial or judicial scrutiny. The law also prohibits the disclosure of details that could identify a child victim or a child in conflict with law. This report therefore does not name the minors involved in the case.