Manjhi targets Tejashwi over Jamui molestation case police action
Synopsis
Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi used X to turn a molestation case in Jamui into a direct political attack on Tejashwi Yadav, citing the accused's Yadav identity and daring the RJD leader to defend them. With an SIT now formed and the Opposition already firing back on law and order, the incident has become the latest caste-and-crime flashpoint in Bihar's volatile politics.
Key Takeaways
Jitan Ram Manjhi publicly targeted Tejashwi Yadav on 22 September over the alleged molestation of a minor in Jamui, Bihar .
Two accused — Nandan Yadav and Hare Ram Yadav — were arrested, both reportedly sustaining leg injuries during or while fleeing police action.
Manjhi posted on X saying HAM believes in action, invoking Tejashwi's references to Yadavs as 'brothers' and urging him to warn them against criminal conduct.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the incident and examine a viral video linked to the case.
Police have appealed to the public not to share material that could identify the minor victim, with action initiated against those circulating such content.
Political tensions in Bihar have sharpened following police action against two accused in the alleged molestation of a minor female student in Jamui, with Union Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) patron Jitan Ram Manjhi directly targeting Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav over the caste dimension of the controversy on 22 September.
The Arrests and What Happened
Police arrested Nandan Yadav after he allegedly sustained a leg injury during a police encounter. A second accused, Hare Ram Yadav, was also taken into custody after reportedly injuring his leg while attempting to flee. Both arrests added a sharp political edge to a case that had already triggered Opposition outrage over law and order in the state.
Manjhi's Broadside on X
In a post on X, Manjhi said HAM believed in action, not mere words, and took direct aim at Tejashwi's frequent political invocations of Yadavs as his 'brothers.' He wrote that some of those alleged brothers stood accused of molesting a minor girl in Jamui and recording the incident. Manjhi further suggested that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader might claim the Samrat Choudhary government had targeted members of his community — a pointed allusion to what Manjhi characterised as the Opposition's predictable caste-defence playbook. He advised Tejashwi to warn those he described as his brothers, asserting that the government would not spare anyone found involved in criminal activity.
The Political Confrontation
The remarks sit within a wider political confrontation over the Jamui incident. Opposition leaders have criticised the state government over deteriorating law and order, while ruling alliance leaders have defended the police response and highlighted the swift arrests. This is not the first time the Jamui district has surfaced as a political flashpoint in Bihar, with crime cases there frequently becoming proxies for larger caste and governance battles ahead of electoral cycles.
Investigation and Victim Protection Measures
Police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident and map the roles of other individuals allegedly involved. Authorities are examining the viral video and related evidence as part of the inquiry. Separately, police have launched action against the circulation of material that could reveal the identity of the minor victim, and have appealed to the public not to share or repost such content — a step that carries legal weight under child-protection provisions.
What Comes Next
With the SIT investigation underway and political barbs escalating, the Jamui case is likely to remain a contentious issue in Bihar's public discourse. The Opposition's response to Manjhi's remarks and any further developments in the probe will determine whether this becomes a sustained political crisis for the state government or subsides as the investigation concludes.
Point of View
He pre-empts the standard Opposition narrative of state-sponsored targeting. What is missing in this political exchange is any meaningful focus on the minor victim and the systemic failures that allowed the incident to be filmed and circulated. The SIT formation is procedurally correct, but whether it insulates the case from further political theatre remains the real question.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Jamui molestation case in Bihar?
The Jamui molestation case involves the alleged sexual assault of a minor female student in Jamui district, Bihar, with the incident reportedly being recorded. Two accused — Nandan Yadav and Hare Ram Yadav — have been arrested, and a Special Investigation Team has been formed to probe the matter.
Why did Jitan Ram Manjhi target Tejashwi Yadav over the case?
Manjhi targeted Tejashwi Yadav because the two accused share the Yadav surname, which Manjhi linked to Tejashwi's frequent political references to Yadavs as his 'brothers.' In his X post, Manjhi challenged Tejashwi to warn those he considers his community members against criminal conduct, framing it as a test of the Opposition leader's stated commitment to his caste constituency.
Who has been arrested in the Jamui molestation case?
Police arrested Nandan Yadav, who allegedly sustained a leg injury during a police encounter, and Hare Ram Yadav, who reportedly injured his leg while attempting to flee. Both are named accused in the alleged molestation of a minor female student in Jamui.
What steps have Bihar Police taken to investigate the case?
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the incident, examine a viral video, and determine the roles of other individuals allegedly involved. Police have also initiated action against the circulation of content that could reveal the identity of the minor victim and appealed to the public not to share or repost such material.
How has the Opposition responded to the Jamui incident?
Opposition leaders have criticised the Bihar state government over law and order in the wake of the Jamui incident. Ruling alliance leaders, including Manjhi, have defended the police response and pointed to the arrests as evidence of swift action.
