Archive · 25 Sep 2026
Banka Assault Video Triggers Questions Over Bihar Police Delay
A video showing a young woman being harassed and assaulted at Mandar Hill in Banka became public.
The incident shown reportedly happened on June 3, but police learned about the video on September 22.
Police said the footage was recorded at the tourist site.
They identified three possible suspects and began raids to find them.
Police also opened a case about sharing the video and revealing the woman's identity.
One person allegedly had the woman's friend send Rs 1,500 before the group left.
Tejashwi Yadav said police should not act only after videos become popular online.
He also connected the case to similar incidents in Jamui and Samastipur.
The newspaper said it had not independently verified the video's authenticity.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav questioned the delayed police response to a purported assault video from Mandar Hill in Banka.
The footage reportedly shows youths harassing and assaulting a young woman at the tourist site.
Banka police said the video reached their social media cell on September 22 and was verified as being recorded at Mandar Hill.
Police identified three suspects—Abdullah, Nitish Kumar Rai and Vikas Kumar—and said raids were underway to arrest them.
Yadav linked the case to recent incidents in Jamui and Samastipur and questioned accountability and possible political influence.
- Who
- A young woman, unidentified suspects, Banka police and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.
- What
- A purported video showed the woman being harassed and assaulted; police identified three suspects and began investigating.
- When
- The incident reportedly occurred on June 3; police said they received the video on September 22.
- Where
- Mandar Hill, a tourist site in Banka, Bihar.
- Why
- Yadav raised the issue to question the delay in police action, accountability and the handling of similar cases.
Political Criticism
Police Response
Delay in action
Political Criticism
Tejashwi Yadav argued that police appear to act only after an incident's video goes viral and questioned whether officials had been held accountable.
Police Response
Banka police said their social media cell received the footage on September 22, verified its location and began identifying and pursuing suspects.
Accountability and punishment
Political Criticism
Yadav questioned whether the accused's social background influences punishment and raised concerns about political calculations in the Jamui and Samastipur cases.
Police Response
Police said they identified three suspects, conducted raids and registered a separate case concerning the video's circulation and the woman's privacy.
Wider law-and-order concerns
Political Criticism
Yadav described Bihar's law and order as effectively dead and linked the Banka case to recent incidents in Jamui and Samastipur.
Police Response
The reported police response included arrests or action in the Samastipur and Jamui cases, although Yadav questioned the status and completeness of those proceedings.
- Location
- Mandar Hill tourist site, Banka, Bihar
- Reported incident date
- June 3
- Police awareness date
- September 22
- Suspects identified
- Abdullah, Nitish Kumar Rai and Vikas Kumar
- People seen in FIR footage
- Six to seven unidentified people
- Alleged payment
- Rs 1,500 transferred by one of the woman's friends
- Additional police case
- Registered over circulation of the video and alleged attempts to reveal the woman's identity