Man arrested after alleged rape and assault of Bihar woman

Police in Bihar’s Begusarai district have arrested one of two men accused of abducting, assaulting and allegedly raping a woman in a hotel, while efforts continued to locate the second suspect. The woman, who is associated with JEEviKA, a self-help-group programme, told police that the incident occurred on September 27 while she was collecting loan repayments from members of a group. She alleged that she was taken to a hotel, held inside a room, assaulted at knifepoint and raped.

The victim also alleged that an obscene video of the incident was recorded and later circulated on social media. According to police, she escaped from the hotel and returned home before informing her family. She submitted a written complaint at Begusarai Nagar police station on the evening of September 28.

Police said the case was registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to rape, assault, blackmailing and threats to a woman, as well as sections of the Information Technology Act. The woman underwent a medical examination at Sadar Hospital under the supervision of a female police officer. Investigators inspected the alleged crime scene and collected evidence with the assistance of a forensic science laboratory team.

Police said CCTV footage showed accused Rohit Kumar entering Room 203 at Hotel Blue Diamond alone at 7.01 a.m. on September 27. The footage, according to police, showed the victim entering the hotel at 7.33 a.m.

and meeting Rohit near the stairs on the second floor before both entered the room. Police said the two left together at 12.33 p.m. The victim also recorded a statement before a court under the relevant provision of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.

Vikram Kumar Sahni, who was named as an accused, has been arrested. Police identified Sahni and Rohit Kumar as brothers-in-law. Raids were being conducted to arrest Rohit Kumar.

Bihar Opposition Leader Tejashwi Yadav criticised the state government on social media, alleging that law and order had collapsed. His remarks were political reaction to the case and were not accompanied in the source material by a response from the government.