A six-year-old girl’s brutal rape and murder in Darbhanga sparked violent protests and road blockades on Sunday. While police have arrested a 22-year-old neighbor, the incident has reignited a fierce debate over child safety in Bihar.
The peaceful locality under the Vishwavidyalay police station limits in Darbhanga turned into a zone of grief and fury this weekend. On Saturday evening, a six-year-old girl, who was playing near her home with two other children, went missing. Her family’s frantic search ended in the early hours of Sunday when her body was discovered in a pool of blood near a secluded pond on the outskirts of the neighborhood.
According to police reports, the child was allegedly lured away by a neighbor. Preliminary forensic examinations and the nature of the injuries pointed toward a gruesome case of sexual assault followed by murder. The recovery of the body, found after family members followed the sound of barking dogs, sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the extreme vulnerability of children even within their own neighborhoods.
Public Outrage Boils Over Into Violent Protests
By Sunday morning, the news of the tragedy spread, bringing hundreds of residents onto the streets. Protesters blocked the main road near the Sundarpur Bela temple, demanding “instant justice.” The atmosphere quickly turned volatile as the mob, fueled by anger and a perceived lack of immediate deterrents, set an auto-rickshaw on fire and pelted stones at security forces.
To prevent the situation from escalating further, additional police units were deployed from neighboring stations. Authorities eventually resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd and restore order. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jagunath Raddi, who visited the crime scene, emphasized that while public anger is understandable, the law must take its course. “The public demanded the accused be handed over to them, which is not possible under the law. The situation is now peaceful, and we are proceeding with a professional investigation,” he stated.
Police Action And The Path To Justice
The investigation gained momentum through the testimony of the two minor girls who were playing with the victim at the time of her abduction. Based on their statements and corroborating evidence-including bloodstains found on the suspect’s clothing-police arrested 22-year-old Vikas Mahto, a resident of the same locality.
An FIR (No. 35/26) has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Authorities have also engaged Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) teams and the cyber cell to ensure a water-tight case. To address the community’s demand for accountability, the Darbhanga administration has announced that it will move the court for a fast-track trial to ensure the perpetrator receives the strictest possible punishment without delay.
A Recurring Pattern of Violence in Bihar
This incident is not an isolated one but part of a troubling trend of crimes against minors in the state. Recent National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data indicates that Bihar remains among the top states for reported crimes against children, with nearly 10,000 cases registered annually. A significant portion of these involve the POCSO Act, where the offender is often someone known to the victim-a neighbor, a relative, or a family friend.
Rights activists point out that while arrests are made, the low conviction rate and the agonizingly slow judicial process often fail to provide a sense of closure to the families. In Darbhanga itself, past cases have seen the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) intervene due to police delays or attempts by local panchayats to “settle” such heinous crimes with monetary compensation, further marginalizing the victims.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The tragedy in Darbhanga is a harrowing reminder that our current safety mechanisms are failing those who need them most. While a fast-track trial is a necessary step toward justice, it remains a reactive measure. True change requires a shift in how we approach child protection-moving from post-crime outrage to proactive community vigilance.
Institutional reforms must be paired with social awareness. We need a system where the police are sensitized to handle such cases with urgency and where the judicial process does not become a second trauma for the grieving family.
More importantly, as a society, we must break the silence surrounding “known” offenders and ensure that no child is ever lured into the shadows again.
