Patna, Oct 10 (The Hindu): In a shocking incident, five women rag pickers, including some minors belonging to a Dalit community, have allegedly been raped by some armed men on Wednesday night at a village in Bhojpur district of Bihar.
The district police said that the incident took place at Kurmuri village under Sikarhatta Police Station limits, in Tarari block of Bhojpur district. Later, police arrested one person in connection with the case.
“Yes this incident has come to our notice and the district police chief and other officials had gone to the village where the incident had reportedly taken place. One person has been arrested and police is hunting for others,” said Bihar Additional Director-General of Police (HQ), Gupteshwar Pandey.
The Bhojpur Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar said that the victims have lodged a case against three persons in the local police station and they were investigating the case.
The incident, reports said, happened when these women had gone to sell scrap to the neighbouring Kurmuri village. They were stopped at a shop by a scrap dealer on some pretext, the police report said, adding that when night descended they were overpowered by three men at gun point and raped.
The victims have also alleged that the perpetrators forced them to drink liquor before being raped. Later, they also threatened them not to report the incident to anyone, or else would have to face dire consequences.
One of the girls managed to flee from the spot and narrated the incident to her villagers. They rushed to the spot and released the other victims from the perpetrators.
On Thursday, a complaint was lodged with the Sikarhatta Police Station against three persons, including the scrap dealer.
Sources said that the police have lodged a case against three persons Nilnidhi Singh, his brother Jai Prakash Singh and an employee of theirs, Jaggu. Mr. Nilnidhi Singh is said to be former area commander of the banned upper caste private army Ranvir Sena.
Acting on the case, the police, later arrested Mr. Jai Prakash Singh while two others are said to be absconding.
Meanwhile, the activists of CPI-ML reached the village and demanded stern action against those involved in the incident.
State police chief P.K. Thakur has said that he is monitoring the case and necessary actions are being taken by the district police officials.
However, local residents said that tension has gripped the village after the incident.
A week back, over 300 Dalit villagers ran away from Pura village under Tekari police station limits in Gaya district after a threat from some upper caste strongmen. They took shelter in a government building at the block headquarters for three days, before being persuaded to return after assurance of safety by the district administration.