Patna, Sep 30 (IANS): The police have arrested four men and detained four minors in connection with the alleged harassment and assault of a young couple in the Sherghati area of Bihar’s Gaya district.
The incident occurred in the hilly area of Chapi village under the Sherghati police station limits.
A video purportedly showing the incident has circulated widely on social media.
Police have registered an FIR and launched an investigation into the matter.
According to police, the young man, a resident of Gurua, had gone for a motorcycle ride with his female friend in the Chapi hills at around 2 p.m. on Monday.
A group of youths allegedly surrounded the couple and subjected them to verbal abuse and physical assault.
Police said the accused also allegedly took the keys of their motorcycle and prevented the couple from leaving the spot. There are also allegations that the motorcycle was tampered with, including by deflating its tyres and removing its spark plug.
Gaya SSP Sushil Kumar said the couple had gone to the hilly area when they were allegedly intercepted and assaulted by a group of youths. He said a video of the incident was subsequently circulated on social media.
Following the registration of the FIR, police conducted raids under the supervision of the Rural SP, with the Sherghati SDPO and Station House Officer participating in the operation.
Eight people have been nabbed so far. Police said four of them are adults and four are minors, and all eight allegedly appear in the video being investigated by the police.
The authorities are examining the circumstances of the incident and the individual roles of those arrested.
The SSP also expressed concern over the circulation of the video on social media, particularly because the young woman’s face was reportedly visible.
Police said action would be taken against people responsible for circulating the video in a manner that reveals the woman’s identity.
The authorities have also urged people not to share or further circulate such material.
Further legal action will depend on the evidence gathered during the ongoing investigation.
The Gaya incident comes against the backdrop of a series of similar incidents reported in Jamui, Samastipur, Kishanganj, Banka, Begusarai and other districts of Bihar in recent days.
However, the Bihar Police have solved several of these cases by arresting multiple accused persons.
