Cinema VinesA viral video from Jamui, Bihar, has sparked nationwide outrage after it appeared to show two 10th‑grade students being harassed by a group of local youths. The footage, recorded at night, shows the teenagers being surrounded, threatened, and physically assaulted as they tried to return home from a nearby spot near Madwa hillock on the Jamui‑Lakhisarai road. The attackers allegedly made vulgar comments, beat the boy, and sexually assaulted the girl while the teenagers pleaded for help. The group filmed the entire ordeal on a mobile phone and threatened to upload the clip online if the victims reported the incident.
The incident occurred on September 19 and has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders who accused the ruling BJP of failing to maintain law and order in the state. BJP MLA Shreyasi Singh from Jamui responded that while “moral policing” might be carried out in a more “decent” and “elegant” manner, the mistreatment of the minors was completely intolerable. In response, actress Ayesha Khan, known for her role in Dhurandhar’s dance number “Shararat,” took to Instagram Stories to denounce the assault. She wrote, “I genuinely feel sick watching what happened in Bihar. Imagine being surrounded, terrified and humiliated while people stand around watching and recording you. Stop calling this morality. Stop hiding harassment behind ‘culture’. This is pathetic and beyond disgusting.”
In a second post, Khan further criticized the so‑called moral policing, saying, “Who asked for your solution? Who asked for moral policing? Who gave you the right? I can’t believe some people are saying that the way of moral policing could have been done in a better manner.” She added that the attackers’ willingness to record and post the incident online showed a lack of fear, realization or morals. The police have responded by arresting the main accused, Nandan Yadav, who was shot in the leg during the arrest, and another suspect. A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed and three people were earlier arrested in connection with the case.
The incident has ignited a broader debate over “moral policing” and the protection of minors in India. Critics argue that the attackers’ actions, coupled with the viral spread of the footage, highlight a systemic problem where harassment is normalized and public shaming is used as a tool of intimidation. The case remains under investigation, with authorities promising a thorough probe into the alleged assault and the subsequent handling of the video by the perpetrators.
