In a Muslim dominated area of Bihar’s Begusarai district, a youth named Mohammad Chotu forcefully entered the house of a 30-year-old Hindu woman and tried to physically assault her. After she tried to put up resistance against the accused, the latter allegedly attacked the victim with a sharp knife, leaving her injured. The incident occurred in Baro Rampur Tola village falling under the Gadhara station area in Begusarai, Bihar.
According to reports, Mohammad Chotu broke into the woman’s house by jumping over the walls of a Mosque which is adjacent to her house. Thereafter, when the accused attempted to physically assault her, the woman resisted and raised an alarm to gather the villagers. The villagers, in turn, apprehended Mohammad Chotu and handed him over to the police. They rushed the injured victim to a nearby hospital for treatment. The accused was later released by the Begusarai police.
Accusing the police of siding with the accused, the woman is now demanding justice for herself.
Begusarai Hindu victim narrates her ordeal
Narrating her ordeal, Gunjan Devi said that on the night of December 21 (Monday) she was sleeping in her house with her three children when suddenly Mohammad Chotu broke into her house and grabbed her in her sleep. He then forcefully started taking off her sari, recolleted Gunjan Devi, who said that she was so devastated that for a second that she became blank and didn’t know what to do.
Gunjan Devi immediately started screaming to collect her neighbours. Her children, who got up from their sleep because of the noise, opened the door of the house to let the neighbours in. Seeing people approach Mohammad Chotu tried to flee but by then Gunjan said she caught hold of his legs tightly, not allowing him to escape. The accused then took out a knife and attacked the victim several times. Despite being gravely injured, Gunjan did not let go of Chotu until the villagers gathered.
Gunjan Devi said that before going to the hospital, she went to the police station and filed a complaint against the accused. The police also assured her that they would investigate the case and lodge an FIR against Chotu. However, when she went to the Police Station the next day, their attitude towards her had changed completely. She said that Chotu was in police custody for two days after which he released. When Gunjan Devi questioned the police she was rebuked and asked to leave.
Concerned about her and her children’s well being, Gujan Devi, worried how would she stay alone in her house. She said that her children were small and her also husband did not live with them as he worked in Uttar Pradesh. She feared that her live was now at risk.
“How will Hindus ever be able to live in the area”, lamented area’s ward councillor and a BJP member
To know more about the incident, Opindia got in touch with the area’s ward councillor and a BJP member, Krishnanand. He confirmed to us that Gunja Devi was assaulted by Mohammad Chotu. He said that the victim lived alone in her house with three small children as her husband worked for the railways. The BJP worker revealed that since Gunjan Devi’s house was adjacent to a Mosque she was an easy target for such hoodlums.
Begusarai police not cooperating, says BJP leader
Lauding Gunjan Devi for her courage, Krishnanad lambasted at the police for their laxity in handling the case. He said that they did not conduct any enquiry and left the accused on a PR bond within two days. The accused had beaten the woman so much that her mouth, hands, legs were all swollen, recollected the ward councillor.
Krishnanand said that the area was a Muslim dominated area. He revealed that prior to this, a similar incident had taken place with Gunjan Devi when another youth had jumped the wall of the Mosque and broken into her house. He said that Gunjan had then complained to the Mosque authorities, who did not take her complaint seriously and settled the matter by temporarily barricading the terrace of the Mosque.
Calling the incident extremely unfortunate, the BJP leader opined that if some concrete action is not taken against these hoodlums, they would get a very pass and make it impossible for Hindus to live in the area. “How will Hindus ever be able to live in the area”, lamented Krishnanand?
Expressing his displeasure over the police apathy, Krishnananda said that if the police already had plans to release the accused there was no point of creating a farce of presenting him in the court.
Opindia also tried to contact the police to know their version of the story, but they could not be contacted.
It is pertinent to note that few media reports have mentioned that three youths had entered the victim’s house. However, when we spoke to Gunjan Devi she only named Mohammad Chotu.
