Bihar Horror: Married Woman Groped, Tried To Gang Rape As Video of Heinous Act Goes Viral

A horrific incident of public assault and attempted gang rape in Bihar's Nalanda district has sparked widespread outrage, with two men arrested after a video of the attack went viral. The incident occurred on March 26 when a 35-year-old mother of three was set upon by local youths while returning home from a shop.

According to police, the woman was accosted by three men who dragged her along the street, groped her, and attempted to tear her clothes. Despite her screams and pleas for mercy, a crowd of onlookers reportedly did not intervene but instead filmed the 42-second assault. The footage was later circulated widely on social media, compounding the victim's trauma.

Police acted after the woman filed a formal complaint on March 27. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed, leading to the arrest that night of two accused, identified as Ashok Yadav and Matlu Mahto alias Navneet Kumar Narottam. A search is ongoing for the third suspect, Ravikant Kumar. Authorities have invoked relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita concerning assault on a woman's dignity.

The victim has alleged that the assault stemmed from a separate incident earlier that day.

Speaking to NDTV, she recounted that villagers had seen her speaking with a mobile repair technician and falsely accused her of having an affair. She claimed a crowd locked her inside the shop, harassed her, and attempted to forcibly apply sindoor (vermilion) on her forehead, a Hindu ritual associated with marriage.

"I removed a brick from a window and climbed out. As soon as I got out, the people thrashed me and tried to strangle me. Some tried to force me to get married," the woman said, adding that she managed to escape and report the matter to police.

The woman, whose husband is a daily-wage laborer in Pune, lives in the village with her mother-in-law and children. Following the incident, police have assured the family of protection.

Nalanda SP Bharat Soni confirmed that the two arrested individuals hail from the same village and are currently in judicial custody. "We formed an SIT on the same day the complaint was filed, and the arrests were made that very night," Soni stated. Authorities continue to search for the remaining accused, with police vowing to ensure no threats are made against the victim or her family.