Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary over the state’s law-and-order situation, saying it was “unfair to speak of a crime-free society if the head of the state is an illiterate criminal”. His remarks came after a fresh case of alleged molestation of a minor girl surfaced in Samastipur, days after the assault and alleged molestation of a Class 10 girl in Jamui triggered widespread outrage.
Kishor’s remarks marked a direct political attack on Choudhary as incidents involving the harassment of girls and women fuelled a fresh debate over public safety in Bihar. While Kishor described the Samastipur incident as disturbing, he used it to question the state government’s broader claims on law and order.
Kishor targets Choudhary
“It is unfair to speak of a crime-free society if the head of the state is an illiterate criminal,” Kishor said while reacting to the Samastipur case. His description of Choudhary was a political allegation, and Kishor did not establish through his remarks that the Chief Minister had been convicted of a criminal offence.
Kishor alleged that incidents of crime had increased since Choudhary came to power and sought to turn the latest cases into a broader question about governance. He also argued that the NDA had remained politically dominant in Bihar for years partly because memories of the “jungle raj” associated by its opponents with the earlier RJD government continued to influence voters.
The Jan Suraaj leader said the latest incident was both “horrifying and scary” and questioned how the government could promise safety when such episodes were emerging in quick succession. His attack came as political parties traded charges over the Jamui and Samastipur cases, turning the safety of women into a major political flashpoint.
Four arrested in Samastipur
The Samastipur case came to public attention after a video purportedly showing a teenage girl being surrounded and harassed by a group of men circulated on social media. The incident took place on the Dam Bypass Road in Jagatsinghpur village under the Karpurigram police station area, and police subsequently arrested four men in connection with the case.
The girl had reportedly stopped with a boy to take photographs when the group approached them. The men allegedly abused and assaulted the boy before harassing the girl, who could be seen struggling to free herself as members of the group grabbed her and made objectionable remarks.
Police swung into action after the footage surfaced and arrested all four accused. Since the girl is a minor, a case was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and the Information Technology Act, with further investigation underway.
Jamui case had already sparked outrage
The Samastipur episode surfaced while Bihar was already facing outrage over a separate incident in Jamui, where a Class 10 girl and a boy were allegedly stopped and assaulted by a group of youths. The girl was allegedly molested, and videos of the incident were subsequently circulated on social media, prompting police to constitute a special investigation team.
Police have detained or arrested several accused in the Jamui case, including minors. The alleged main accused, Nandan Yadav, was injured in the leg during a police operation after police said he opened fire while attempting to escape, while another accused was also apprehended.
The two incidents in quick succession have intensified political attacks on the government over women’s safety and policing. Opposition leaders have accused the administration of failing to create sufficient deterrence, while ministers and ruling alliance leaders have maintained that the police acted swiftly and that those responsible would face strict legal action.
Government promises strict action
Bihar ministers have condemned the Samastipur incident and insisted that the government will not tolerate crimes against women. Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari said the administration would deal firmly with anyone compromising the safety and dignity of women and girls, while senior JD(U) leader and minister Shravan Kumar also promised stringent action.
The government’s response has not stopped the political confrontation, with Kishor using the latest case to directly target Choudhary’s leadership. With the Jamui case still under investigation and another disturbing video now emerging from Samastipur, the handling of crimes against women has moved to the centre of Bihar’s political battle.