A minor girl who was brutally assaulted and raped in Bihar's Muzaffarpur succumbed to her injuries at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Sunday. The incident has led to protests and a political storm. The girl, attacked on May 26, had been in critical condition since the incident and was referred to PMCH a day before her death.
A senior police officer confirmed, "The girl died this morning. Her throat and chest were brutally slashed by the accused. He had also attempted to kill her by slitting her throat. Her vocal cords were damaged, and she was unable to speak. The accused was arrested," he said.
State Congress president Rajesh Ram alleged that the victim was forced to wait in an ambulance for several hours on Saturday due to the alleged unavailability of a hospital bed. A video clip of the ordeal circulated on social media, drawing widespread condemnation and raising serious questions about the state’s healthcare system.
Rahul Gandhi Slams 'Double-Engine Government'
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, expressed deep anguish over the incident.
He wrote, "The brutality against a minor Dalit girl in Muzaffarpur and the subsequent negligence in her treatment is extremely shameful. If she had received timely treatment, her life could have been saved. But the double-engine government was negligent not only in providing security but also in saving her life. We will not sit quietly until the victim's family gets justice. Strict action should be taken against the culprits and negligent officers."
Rajesh Ram, who was present at PMCH during the girl's admission along with party colleague Rajesh Rathore, claimed that the administration only admitted the girl after their intervention. “It took the hospital administration more than four hours to provide her a bed, and she was finally admitted there after 3 pm… The girl succumbed to her injuries on Sunday morning,” Rathore said.
Political Backlash And Protests Erupt Statewide
Congress workers launched statewide protests following the girl’s death, denouncing the NDA government and demanding accountability. Demonstrators in Patna, led by the state Congress chief, gathered near Income Tax Golumber and burned effigies of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Health Minister Mangal Pandey. Protesters also demanded Pandey’s resignation, blaming the administration for the girl’s death.
"It is a heart-wrenching incident and an insult to our state, headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The victim died as the law and order and the health system in the state have collapsed. The NDA government in the state and the PMCH administration are solely responsible for the death of the girl. The incident has exposed the insensitivity of the government, the CM and the PMCH," Ram said.
Police investigations revealed that the accused lured the minor girl near her aunt's house on the pretext of giving her chocolate and took her to a maize field, where he raped her. The heinous nature of the assault and the subsequent administrative delay have stirred outrage and sorrow throughout the state.