A 28-year-old mother of four was gang-raped in her own home in the Indian state of Bihar, reviving memories of the 2012 Delhi bus rape. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.
The survivor, Soma (not her real name), told BBC Hindi that on the night of June 11, five men barged into her outdoor toilet in Begusarai district. The toilet has no door, only a curtain. They stripped her, gagged her, tied her hands, slashed her chest with a blade, and raped her, inserting objects into her vagina.
Her husband initially dismissed her groans as a stray cat, but grew suspicious. The house was locked from outside; a neighbor unlocked it and everyone saw her condition.
Begusarai police superintendent Maneesh told BBC that the medical report confirmed sexual assault. Three named and two unidentified accused are involved; two have been arrested. A Special Investigation Team is searching for the others. Some accused have prior criminal records.
Soma faced apathy from authorities. Her husband took her to a police station, but they refused to file a complaint and sent them to a doctor. Police station head Rajiv Kumar was suspended for negligence. An FIR was registered on June 13.
She also struggled to get medical care. A private clinic turned her away; a government health center provided first aid. A doctor asked, "Were you raped?" Civil Surgeon Ashok Kumar told BBC she came with stomach pain, and they learned of the rape only on June 13.
Soma was discharged but fainted the next day. A village midwife warned something was inside. On June 18, a bullet casing fell from her vagina. Doctors removed other objects. She is now stable.
The case echoes the 2012 Delhi gang rape, which led to stricter laws. Four men were executed in 2020. Yet over 30,000 rapes are recorded annually in India. Activist Yogita Bhayana says society has learned no lessons.