A wedding in Jharkhand’s Latehar turned nightmarish as five baratis abducted a minor girl from the event and gang-raped her in a deserted forest, police confirmed. Mahuadanr station reported the February 27 outrage, where the victim was deceived and dragged away amid the festivities.
Post-assault, the accused vanished, but the girl’s courageous return home and disclosure ignited a manhunt. Latehar police zeroed in on the culprits quickly, apprehending all five. The juveniles among them now face juvenile justice proceedings in a correctional facility.
This wave of crimes isn’t new to the state. Gumla’s Raidih police just a week ago booked eight men for assaulting a minor after a fair. Earlier in Kamdara, a car gang struck two girls. While empowerment programs like Maiya Samman distribute funds, the surge in such cases demands urgent safety overhauls—better night patrols, community watches, and harsher deterrents.
The arrested face POCSO charges, with forensic teams active at the crime scene. Victim support services are engaged, but public fury grows, calling for systemic change to shield daughters from predators lurking even at celebrations.