Bihar harassment video surfaces at Mandar Hill; Bounsi police register FIR
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
A disturbing video allegedly showing the harassment and molestation of a girl at the historic Mandar Hill in Banka district, Bihar, has surfaced on social media, prompting police to register a case against six to seven unidentified youths and launch a formal investigation. The video came to the attention of authorities after it was received through WhatsApp by the police social media cell, and has reportedly been circulating online for the past two days.
What the Video Shows
The footage purportedly depicts a group of six to seven unidentified youths engaging in inappropriate behaviour with a girl at the Mandar Hill location in Banka district. Police have confirmed through a preliminary investigation that the video was indeed recorded at that site. However, officials believe the footage is not recent, and suspect the incident may have taken place in April 2025.
Police Response and FIR Details
Acting on directions from senior officials, Bounsi Station House Officer Pankaj Kumar Jha led a police team to Mandar Hill for a site verification. An FIR was subsequently registered at Bounsi police station on the basis of a written complaint filed by SHO Jha himself. The unidentified accused have been booked under Sections 74, 75, 76 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 66E and 67A of the Information Technology Act.
Ongoing Investigation
Investigators are currently questioning local residents, including villagers and shopkeepers in the area around Mandar Hill, in an effort to establish the identities of those seen in the video and determine the circumstances in which it was recorded and subsequently shared online. Police have secured the video as evidence and are examining its origin and chain of circulation. So far, no arrests have been made as the accused remain unidentified.
Part of a Wider Pattern in Bihar
This incident follows similar cases reported in Bihar's Jamui and Samastipur districts, raising broader concerns about the safety of women in public spaces and the circulation of objectionable content on social media platforms in the state. Notably, the use of social media cells to flag such videos has become an established mechanism for law enforcement in Bihar, though critics argue that the speed of identification and arrest in such cases remains inadequate. Police have appealed to the public not to circulate the video or any material that could identify the victim, warning that sharing such content may attract legal consequences.
Further action will be taken based on the findings of the ongoing investigation, officials confirmed.