Banka: A video showing a group of youths allegedly harassing and intimidating a girl at Mandar Parvat in Bihar’s Banka district has gone viral on social media, prompting a police investigation.
The video has reportedly been circulating widely for the past two days. Banka police have verified that the footage was recorded at Mandar Parvat, although the incident is believed to have taken place in April.
Case Registered Against Unidentified Youths
According to information received on Thursday, police have registered a case against unidentified youths on charges related to molestation. The identities of the youths and the girl seen in the video have not yet been established.
Police are examining the footage and investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Officials are also working to identify those involved.
In the video, three or four youths can be seen surrounding and intimidating the girl. One appears to be carrying a stick, while another is holding a slipper. The youths are seen grabbing the girl’s hand and dragging her, while making gestures suggesting an attempt to strike her.
The footage also appears to show the youths misbehaving with one or two other boys at the site.
Mandar Parvat Religious Significance
Mandar Parvat, located in Bounsi in Banka district, is a prominent religious and historical site around 45km from Bhagalpur. The hill is considered sacred in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.
A Jain temple is located at the summit, while temples and caves associated with Hindu deities are situated at different points on the hill. Hindu tradition associates Mandar Parvat with the Samudra Manthan, or churning of the ocean.
Similar Incidents In Bihar
The Banka case comes after two other incidents involving alleged public harassment of girls were reported in Bihar.
In Jamui district, a video showing youths allegedly engaging in obscene acts with a girl visiting Madwa Hill with a classmate went viral last week. Police subsequently arrested the accused, while the prime accused, Nandan Yadav, was shot in the leg during an encounter with police.
A separate incident was later reported in Samastipur, where youths allegedly harassed a girl on a road. Following the circulation of a video, Samastipur police arrested four accused persons from the Karpoori Gram police station area on Thursday.
The Banka police investigation is continuing, with efforts focused on identifying the people seen in the Mandar Parvat video and establishing the circumstances of the incident
