The BJP, Bihar's principal opposition party, and the CPI(ML) Liberation party, an ally of the ruling Mahagathbandhan government, jointly organized protests in Patna on Thursday, expressing discontent with the 'local police's incompetence' in handling the distressing rape case involving two Dalit minor girls.
The incident unfolded in the Hinduni Badhar area, where the two Dalit girls were allegedly raped after being abducted. Tragically, one of the girls succumbed to fatal injuries, while the other is currently fighting for her life at AIIMS in Patna. The families of the victims reported their disappearance on Monday, and the body of one girl was discovered on Tuesday.
Despite the severity of the crime, the Phulwari Sharif Police has yet to make any arrests, provoking outrage among the local community and political figures. Allegations from the girls' families suggested that the police at Phulwari Sharif failed to register a case when approached on the day the minors went missing.
A BJP delegation, led by state president Samrat Chaudhary and MP Ram Kripal Yadav, visited the families of the victims on Thursday to express solidarity. Samrat Chaudhary called for capital punishment for those involved in the rape of the two Dalit girls.
Speaking to India Today TV, Chaudhary highlighted the police's alleged inaction, blaming it for a major crime against the minors. Ram Kripal further claimed that the victims' kin were turned away by a police officer at Phulwari Sharif police station without registering their case. Subsequently, the BJP organized a candle march to demand justice for the girls.
Simultaneously, the CPI(ML) took to the streets in adjacent areas, chanting slogans against the Phulwari Sharif Police for their perceived incompetence and lack of action.
In the Hinduni Badhar village, frustration boiled over, leading to an attack on an investigating team from the Patna Police on Thursday due to the absence of arrests in the case.
Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajiv Mishra noted that the injured girl, currently undergoing treatment at AIIMS, Patna, is not yet able to provide her statement. The SSP expressed optimism that the girl would be able to communicate with the police within the next 24 to 48 hours. He also disclosed that an Assistant sub-inspector from Phulwari Sharif has been suspended in connection with the case.
Phulwari Sharif's Assistant Superintendent of Police reported the filing of a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act. Additionally, the deceased girl's body has been sent for autopsy to further the investigation.
