Bihar Chief Minister orders fast response on social media crimes after recent attacks on women

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has ordered District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police to respond within two hours to any sensitive social media-related cases. This directive follows a wave of embarrassment for the state government after more than half a dozen molestation cases and assaults on women and minors tied to social media occurred within a span of nearly a month.

Action Plan

Mr. Choudhary issued the orders during a high-level law and order review meeting on Friday, October 9, 2026, alongside Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit and Director General of Police Preeta Verma. Officials briefed him on crime control, cyber crime, prohibition, and economic offences. The Chief Minister told police to use the Crime Control Act against habitual offenders, improve the Dial-112 emergency system, and build a concrete plan to stop the illegal trade of drugs.

Political Backlash

The rising crime rate has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, who label the administration 'Rakshas Raj' or Demon Rule. Even political ally and Union Minister Chirag Paswan, who leads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), attacked the state government. Mr. Paswan stated he was ashamed to be part of the National Democratic Alliance government in Bihar because girls no longer feel safe.

Context

State governments often face intense political pressure from both opposition parties and coalition allies when high-profile crimes against women gain widespread attention on digital platforms. Law enforcement agencies in India frequently rely on district-level administrators like DMs and SPs to coordinate rapid responses to maintain public order and address inflammatory content online.