Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday, 21 September sharply condemned the alleged molestation of two Class 10 students in Bihar's Jamui district, demanding swift prosecution under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and questioning why the culprits had not been arrested days after the incident.

What the Video Shows

A video that surfaced on social media allegedly shows a group of individuals stopping a young boy and girl — both reportedly Class 10 students at a private school in Jamui town — while they were travelling on a scooter after attending coaching classes. According to reports, the group molested the girl, with one man grabbing her by the neck and lifting her off the ground. Another man allegedly touched her breast during the assault.

The boy accompanying her reportedly intervened and was also assaulted. One of the individuals present allegedly recorded the incident, which was subsequently shared widely on social media. The authenticity and precise circumstances of the video have not been independently verified.

Rahul Gandhi's Remarks

In a post on X, Gandhi described the visuals as 'deeply disturbing.' 'The video from Jamui, Bihar is deeply disturbing. Two Class 10 students were stopped on a road. Harassed. Humiliated. Molested. A young girl, hands folded, begged to be let go while goons groped her and dragged her away,' he wrote.

Gandhi questioned the broader social context enabling such violence: 'Who gave these men the right to behave like this? This is not "culture." It is patriarchy: the belief that any man can police a girl's body, her movement, her choices.'

He also took aim at what he described as normalisation of such attitudes, saying: 'When control is mistaken for culture, and such attitudes are normalised by Andhbhakts, mobs start believing they are the law.' He demanded that every individual identifiable in the video be prosecuted under POCSO and questioned why, if the incident took place on 19 September, the accused had not yet been arrested. He also called on the Bihar government to explain why a girl is not safe on a public road at 7 pm.

Police Response and Investigation

According to DSP (Cyber) Abhishek Kumar, the incident came to the police's attention and an investigation is currently underway. Preliminary information suggests the incident occurred in the border area between Jamui and Lakhisarai, near the jurisdiction of Jamui Town police station.

Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident and are being questioned. Police are also examining the video footage to identify others who may have been involved. The officer noted that the exact circumstances would become clear only once the investigation is complete.

Wider Concerns Over Women's Safety

The emergence of the video has triggered concern among local residents, particularly regarding the safety of girls and women travelling in the area. This comes amid a broader national debate on public safety for women, with incidents of street harassment repeatedly drawing political and civil society attention in recent years. Critics argue that delays in arrest — when visual evidence exists — erode public confidence in law enforcement. The incident is the latest in a series of cases from Bihar that have put the state government's response to crimes against women under scrutiny.

What Happens Next

Police say efforts are continuing to identify all individuals visible in the video and to determine the full circumstances of the assault. With political pressure mounting and the video widely circulated, investigators face heightened public and judicial scrutiny. Gandhi's call for POCSO prosecution signals that the case is likely to attract further parliamentary attention when the next session convenes.