BJP MP Shambhu Sharan Patel slams Bihar law and order amid rising sexual harassment cases

The Bihar government is facing rare public criticism from within its own ruling alliance as a series of sexual harassment cases sparks widespread political outrage. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Shambhu Sharan Patel openly targeted the administration on Saturday over deteriorating law and order in the state. Patel stated that policing in Bihar has collapsed and demanded a new chief secretary and director general of police to regain control. He recounted a personal experience where the Patna administration failed to answer his call regarding an incident involving a girl, and noted that no FIR was registered in that case. Patel added that criminals no longer fear the law and that the public gave the mandate for good governance. The political pressure on the government has mounted following multiple videos of sexual harassment surfacing across various districts over the past week. In Jamui, a video showed youths surrounding and harassing two teenage students. Police arrested two men, Nandan Yadav and Hareram Yadav, and apprehended three juveniles. Police stated that Nandan was shot in the leg while resisting arrest. In Samastipur, another video showed a girl being harassed, pulled by her hair, and abused on a bypass road in broad daylight. Four accused were arrested and sent to judicial custody under the POCSO Act and IT Act. A third video from Samastipur, reportedly from August 14 under the Musrigharari police station, led to the arrest of Dharmendra Sahni within five hours of information, with suspects booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, POCSO Act, and IT Act. A fourth video from Banka showed a girl being harassed and assaulted at the Mandar Hill tourist site on June 3, with police identifying three suspects working as migrant workers outside Bihar. Opposition leaders have capitalized on the unrest. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav posted a video of the third Samastipur incident and criticized the administration, calling the handling inept. Tejashwi also demanded an FIR against the chief minister's office after the official CMO handle posted a photograph of the Jamui harassment victim. RJD Pataliputra MP Misa Bharti lodged a formal complaint at the Sachivalaya police station against CMO staff over the same disclosure. Meanwhile, BJP sources defended the administration, stating the state has intensified its crackdown on such social media posts and that the chief minister urged people to avoid online reels and focus on real-life issues.