The two school students, both minors, were stopped in Jamui district on 19 September. Footage that has since been widely circulated online shows the teenagers surrounded by a group of men and repeatedly pleading to be allowed to leave.
In the video, the boy is seen being slapped and pulled by his collar, while the girl is touched inappropriately. In another clip, a man is seen carrying the girl away as the boy attempts to intervene.
Police said the incident took place at around 19:00 local time [13:30 GMT] on Saturday, but came to light on Monday after videos of the assault went viral.
According to police, the teenagers are both students of 10th standard and attend the same coaching institute. They had gone to the area to take photographs after their classes.
Jamui police chief Bishwajeet Dayal said neither teenager had initially reported the incident. Police began investigating after the videos circulated widely online and traced the pair using the registration number of a vehicle visible in the footage.
Their statements were subsequently recorded, and a case was registered following a written complaint from the girl.
The case has been registered under India’s stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, or Pocso. Police have also invoked sections of India’s criminal code covering assault or criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, assault or criminal force with intent to disrobe, and acts carried out with a common intention.
Senior police officer KS Anupam said three minors had been arrested and that investigators had established the involvement of two other people. A special investigation team has been formed to catch the remaining suspects.
Police have also begun action against 32 social media accounts accused of circulating footage in which the teenagers could be identified.
The disturbing footage has prompted widespread anger over the harassment of the two teenagers and renewed debate about the safety of women and girls in Bihar, along with questions over the response of state authorities.
The outrage intensified after Bihar minister Shravan Kumar said that “sporadic incidents keep happening” and that the government was keeping a watch on them.
“The world is not entirely free of crime,” he said, adding that those responsible would not be allowed to escape and would face strict action.
Umesh Kushwaha of the governing Janata Dal (United) also faced criticism after referring to such cases as “isolated incidents” and contrasting the government’s record with that of the previous RJD administration. Kushwaha later said his remarks had been “distorted and misrepresented” and promised action against those responsible.
The shocking nature of the assault has triggered further outrage online, with many social media users expressing horror and questioning why a group of men believed they had the right to confront two teenagers for being together.
Some characterised the incident as an extreme form of “moral policing”, while others tagged Bihar Police and demanded strict action against those accused of the harassment.
Shreyasi Singh, a Bihar minister and legislator from Jamui, told NDTV news channel that the incident had brought “shame to society”.
Singh, a former international-level sport shooter, said women in Bihar were advancing in many areas but concerns about their safety persisted. She called for the remaining suspects to be arrested quickly and for strict action against those responsible.
Opposition leaders have meanwhile seized on the case to question the state government’s record on women’s safety.
Rahul Gandhi, MP and senior leader of India’s main opposition Congress party, described the footage as “deeply disturbing” and said the incident reflected a patriarchal “belief that men could police a girl’s body, movements and choices”.
“This is not culture. It is patriarchy,” Gandhi wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Tejashwi Yadav, the opposition leader in Bihar, said the incident had left him “deeply ashamed” and accused the government of failing to ensure the safety of women and girls in the state.
Members of Bihar’s governing coalition have rejected the opposition’s wider criticism of the state’s law-and-order record and said those responsible for the attack would face strict action.
India’s National Commission for Women has also intervened, calling for all those involved to be identified and arrested and for an impartial investigation.
The commission has sought a report from Bihar Police and urged authorities to prevent further sharing of the video clips to protect the girl’s identity and privacy.
The Bihar State Women’s Commission has also sought information from district authorities about the action being taken in the case. With three minors arrested, two other suspected participants identified and further investigation underway, authorities are now facing pressure to establish the full sequence of events and ensure action against everyone found responsible.
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