PATNA: A woman taking a bath in the Ganga at Barh was pulled out and raped on the riverbank and the act was recorded on video by a friend of the rapist. Both men have been arrested, police said on Wednesday.
While the 45-year-old woman did not approach police out of fear of attacks by the accused, police were alerted after the video clip of the incident went viral on the social media on Tuesday. “Shivpujan Mahto, 45, who was seen in the video clip raping the woman, and Vishal Kumar, 28, who recorded the act, have been arrested,” said Patna SP (rural) Anand Kumar.
The incident occurred on Sunday when the woman was taking a holy dip in the Ganga at Simar Ghat under Barh police station in Patna district. Police officials familiar with the case said she is seen in the video pleading to be spared, but the accused asking her to shut up and putting his hand over her mouth.
“The woman is heard saying repeatedly that she is on a fast. She is saying ‘Brother, please spare me’, but the accused brushes away all her appeals and rapes her,” said a police official.
It took police quite an effort to persuade the victim, a mother of two daughters and a son, to lodge a complaint. Her husband works in Delhi. the main accused, Mahto, is a driver of a private bus while Vishal Kumar does no work for a living, said police.
“We will ensure that a chargesheet is filed in this case at the earliest. We will also recommend this case for a speedy trial,” said Patna SSP Manu Maharaaj.
Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav of RJD attacked Bihar’s Nitish Kumar-led NDA government over the incident. “Such heinous acts in broad daylight make it clear that there is no law and order in Bihar under the so-called good governance regime,” said Yadav.