A video purportedly showing a young woman being harassed by a group of youths at the popular tourist destination of Mandar Hill in Bihar went viral on social media, days after similar incidents were reported in Jamui and Samastipur. The case is the third such incident reported in the state within a week, coming shortly after similar cases in Samastipur and Jamui triggered public outrage.
Calling the incidents "shameful", Union minister Chirag Paswan said the government could not "run away from accountability".
On the other side, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, alleged that the three consecutive incidents showed that law and order have completely collapsed in the state.
Police register case after video reaches WhatsApp
Police said a case was registered at the Bounsi Police Station in Banka district after taking cognisance of the video, which was received through WhatsApp on September 22.
The footage appears to have been recorded on June 3, and an investigation is underway, they said in a statement.
According to the FIR, the woman had visited Mandar Hill with two friends when three youths allegedly abused and threatened them and behaved indecently with her.
One of the accused, identified as Abdullah, allegedly got Rs 1,500 transferred online from the account of one of the woman's friends before allowing them to leave, police said.
The other accused have been identified as Nitish Kumar Rai and Vikas Kumar, they said.
Police said raids were being conducted to arrest them.
A case has also been registered against those who allegedly circulated the purported video on social media and attempted to reveal the identity of the woman, police said.
Incident follows cases in Jamui, Samastipur
The case comes days after a teenage girl was allegedly harassed in Jamui, while four people were arrested in Samastipur after a purported video showing a girl being harassed surfaced online.
Paswan said the issue could not be addressed merely through arrests or encounters and called for action against officials under whose jurisdiction such incidents occurred.
"Such incidents are happening in our presence. We should be so ashamed that we feel like sinking into the ground," Paswan said, stressing that repeated incidents involving young women could not be ignored.
"Those officials should be identified and action taken against them -- under whose nose such major incidents are being carried out," he said.
Paswan, who heads the LJP (RV), said the government could not "run away from accountability" over the incidents.
Tejashwi Yadav targets Bihar government
Yadav, the RJD national working president, alleged that the incident, coming days after similar cases in Jamui and Samastipur, reflected a "collapse of law and order" in the state.
In a social media post, Yadav alleged that the administration was influenced by the caste and social background of accused persons while dealing with criminal cases.
He sought to know when those allegedly involved in the Banka incident would be arrested and questioned the status of the five remaining accused in the Jamui case and the action taken against the four accused arrested in Samastipur.
"Will the chief minister respond only after checking their reels and caste," he asked.