Bihar woman constable alleges kidnapping, sexual assault; probe on
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Bihar: A woman Home Guard constable has alleged that she was kidnapped and sexually assaulted in Bihar's Vaishali district. Police, however, have disputed the allegations, claiming the case arose from a prior relationship between the woman and the accused.
According to the woman's family, the accused, identified as Subodh Paswan, along with his brother and two others, allegedly abducted the Home Guard constable and her minor sister while they were returning from a market with their father. The family alleged that the two sisters were confined inside a house, where the constable was sexually assaulted.
The family further claimed that after they alerted the police, officers rescued the Home Guard constable from the accused's house. However, they alleged that the accused managed to escape during the police operation.
"My daughters had gone to the market with their father when Subodh Paswan allegedly kidnapped them. He also assaulted my husband when he tried to rescue them. We even went to Paswan's house and pleaded with him to release my daughters, but he refused. Left with no other option, we approached the police. I want him to be sent to jail because he has been harassing my daughter for a long time. He is a married man with three children, yet he continues to assault my daughter," the constable's mother told India Today TV.
Mahua Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Sanjeev Kumar, however, presented a different account of the incident. He said the woman and the accused had previously been in a relationship and alleged that after she secured her government job, she began distancing herself from him.
According to the SDPO, the accused allegedly molested the woman following a dispute related to their relationship. He said the case did not involve kidnapping or rape and added that the woman had been sent for a medical examination.
The officer said police would register a case after receiving a formal complaint from the family and that raids were underway to arrest the accused.
Police also said they had received information suggesting that the woman and the accused had previously entered into a court marriage. However, they added that this claim has not been independently verified.
The woman has been admitted to a hospital for treatment, and her medical examination is underway. The investigation is ongoing.