TWO accused in the harassment of a boy and a girl in Bihar’s Jamui district were nabbed by police on Tuesday following an encounter in which both were injured, an official said. With this, the total number of people held in connection with the September 19 incident has reached five. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Munger Range, Rakesh Kumar said one of the accused, NandanYadav, received a bullet wound on a leg. His accomplice, HareramYadav, fractured his knee while trying to flee from police, which had been conducting raids to nab the culprits since Monday, he said. “Both Nandan and Hareram have been hospitalised. Earlier, we had picked up three minors, who will be dealt with by the juvenile justice board,” the DIGtold PTI over the phone fromJamui, where he has been camping since the incident came to light on Monday. “We may pick up a few more people after interrogating Hareram and Nandan upon their recovery. From the video clip, it was not clear exactly how many were involved in the incident.

 

However, we can safely say that the main accused have been caught. In fact, it was Hareram who was seen in the clip with his face wrapped in a scarf, leading the group,” he said. The girl and the boy, who were said to be studying at the same coaching centre, were caught hold of by the group on a road and allegedly harassed. Video clips circulating on social media purportedly showed the girl being groped. At the state police headquarters, ADG (law and order) K Suhita Anupam said, “The incident was alarming, but what was equally alarming was that the video was shared on social media, revealing the girl’s identity.” “We shall ensure expeditious filing of chargesheets and fast-track trial in the case. Those involved in circulating the video shall also be booked under the IT Act,” the officer told PTI Videos. Although the victims did not lodge a police complaint, the incident came to light on Monday when clips of the incident, apparently shot by one of the alleged perpetrators, went viral on social media. As the viral video sparked outrage from netizens as well as political opponents of the ruling NDA in the state, police took suo motu cognisance of the matter, traced the victims and formed a Special Investigating Team.