Teen’s Brave Act Exposes Jharkhand Rapists

A horrific gang-rape incident has shaken Jharkhand’s Palamu district, where a 16-year-old girl was assaulted on August 11, 2025, while waiting at Daltonganj railway station to board a train to Punjab with her younger sister. The attackers, posing as police officers, lured the minor sisters to a secluded spot, sparking outrage and renewed concerns about safety in the region. The bravery of the younger sister, who escaped and raised an alarm, led to the swift arrest of the perpetrators, identified as Sonu Kumar and Sumit Kumar Soni.

The sisters, residents of Patan in Palamu, were approached by the two men at the station around 9 PM. The accused falsely claimed to be police officers, demanding the girls’ personal details and insisting on an interrogation. They coerced the sisters onto motorcycles and took them to a remote area in Chainpur, where the elder sister was gang-raped, while the younger was threatened into silence. As the perpetrators attempted to move the girls toward Medininagar, the younger sister jumped off the bike near Saddiq Manzil Chowk and screamed for help. Local residents responded quickly, alerting the police, who cordoned off the area and apprehended the suspects within hours.

The victim was rushed to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital for a medical examination, where she is receiving treatment and counseling. Both sisters are minors, and the accused face charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and sections 70(2) (gang-rape of a minor) and 351(2) (criminal force) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Town police station in-charge Jyotilal Rajwar vowed, “Strict action will be taken,” confirming that Sonu Kumar and Sumit Kumar Soni have been remanded to judicial custody. The case is being fast-tracked to ensure justice, with ongoing investigations to rule out additional suspects.

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The incident has triggered widespread anger in Palamu, with locals and the victims’ family demanding severe punishment. Protests erupted outside the station, with residents blocking roads and accusing authorities of lax safety measures at public spaces like railway stations. This case follows a disturbing pattern of sexual violence in Palamu, where multiple gang-rape incidents have been reported in 2024 and 2025. For instance, on May 17, 2024, four men were arrested for raping a 16-year-old in Ramgarh, Palamu, and on April 3, 2025, a 12-year-old was raped and murdered in Medininagar, with the accused beaten by a mob before arrest.

Women’s safety in Jharkhand has come under scrutiny, with opposition leaders like BJP MLA Anant Ojha criticizing the state’s law and order situation, citing a March 2024 gang-rape of a Spanish tourist in Dumka as evidence of systemic failures. The Jharkhand Victim Compensation (Amendment) Scheme-2019, meant to support victims, remains underfunded, with 14 Palamu victims awaiting aid. On X, users have highlighted similar incidents, reflecting public frustration over rising crimes against women.

The Jharkhand Police have promised enhanced patrolling at railway stations and public spaces, but activists argue for stronger preventive measures, including CCTV coverage and community policing. As the victims recover, the case underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms to protect vulnerable groups and restore public trust in safety protocols.

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