Eleventh Accused in Nalanda Molestation Case Surrenders Amid Police Pressure
Munna Pandey, identified as the 11th accused in the alleged molestation case of a 32-year-old married woman in Nalanda district, surrendered before a court in Biharsharif on Wednesday. This development comes as police intensified efforts to apprehend absconding suspects involved in the disturbing incident.
Police Raids and Previous Arrests
According to Noorsarai SHO Arvind Kumar, Pandey and two other individuals had been evading capture since the case emerged. Raids were actively being conducted across the district to locate them. Kumar noted that he learned of Pandey's surrender through media reports and had not yet received official confirmation from the court authorities.
Prior to this surrender, police had already arrested several other accused during targeted operations. Those taken into custody include Ashok Yadav, Matlu alias Navneet Kumar, Ranjan Kumar, Sachin Kumar, Dashrath Chaudhary, Shailesh Kumar, Doman Paswan, Sonu Kumar, and Anita Devi. Additionally, another accused, Ravikant Kumar, had surrendered earlier during the ongoing investigation.
Details of the Incident and Legal Actions
The incident, which occurred on March 26, involved a group of villagers allegedly dragging the woman from her home after accusing her of an illicit relationship with a local man. The accused are reported to have assaulted and molested her, and they recorded the act on mobile phones. This footage was later circulated on social media platforms, amplifying the case's notoriety.
In response, police have seized multiple mobile phones for forensic examination to gather digital evidence. Additional legal sections have been incorporated into the case, including charges related to attempt to rape, criminal intimidation, and provisions under the Information Technology Act. Authorities confirm that further investigation is actively underway to ensure all aspects of the case are thoroughly examined.
