Begusarai woman allegedly thrown off roof; family cites threats to drop rape case

A woman in Bihar's Begusarai district, who filed a gang-rape case in June, was allegedly dragged to a rooftop and thrown off it on Monday night (9 November). Her family says they had been threatened repeatedly to withdraw that case. She suffered head injuries but is out of danger, police and reports say.

The woman's husband told the Times of India that the attackers first locked the door of her brother-in-law's house, next door, from outside. When she stepped out to open it, two men allegedly caught hold of her, took her to the roof and threw her down. She fell about 15 feet, Times Now reported, and was taken first to a health centre and then to Begusarai Sadar Hospital. The incident falls under the Chakia police station area.

The family says the pressure began after the June 11 case, in which she alleged she was gang-raped by five men. Four of those accused have been arrested; the fifth is absconding, the Times of India reported. Her husband alleged that the family had been threatened again and again, even after the arrests, to settle or withdraw the case, and that the accused also demanded the ex gratia money she had received from the district administration. NDTV reported that the family said police took no action on their earlier complaint about the threats. Police have not responded to that claim in the reports reviewed.

A fresh FIR was registered at Chakia police station on the woman's statement, against two accused. Begusarai SP Manish said Bhongal Mahto, also reported as Bhongal Kumar, was arrested on Wednesday (11 November) and that a team led by the SDPO-2 is investigating. “We have arrested the accused, Bhongal Mahto today in the case,” he said, according to the Times of India. Headquarters DSP Nikhil Kumar said police were investigating all aspects of the case.

On Thursday (12 November), the SP said the woman had been discharged after primary treatment, was stable with no critical injuries, and had been given police protection. She told police that only two people were present when she was thrown off the roof and identified only one of them, Mahto, he said. The SP added that the investigation had so far found no link between Mahto and the June gang-rape case, in which Mahto is not among the five accused. The family's allegation that the attack was meant to force her to withdraw that case is yet to be established by police.

The SP also said a speedy trial is under way in the June case and that the property of the absconding fifth accused was attached two months ago. Police are still looking for the second man in the roof attack. The accused are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. TII is not naming the woman, in line with the law on sexual assault survivors.