In Begusarai district of Bihar, a woman was made to lick spit from the ground by a village panchayat after she accused a neighbour of rape, which is a case of public humiliation that has raised a storm of indignation after a video of the punishment was uploaded on social media.
According to officials, it was the incident that occurred in June but was only revealed after an online video of the woman's alleged humiliation was published late last month.
Police have since registered a First Information Report (FIR) and started a thorough investigation into the alleged sexual assault and the conduct of those involved in the village panchayat.
Alleged Assault and Panchayat Intervention
As per the FIR registered on August 1, the woman alleged that on the night of June 2, a neighbour forcibly entered her home, threatened her and sexually assaulted her.
Instead of immediately reporting the situation to the police, the village panchayat, which was alleged to have decided to conduct its own proceedings, was apparently called to a local village panchayat.
The complaint alleged that instead of helping the survivor or approaching law enforcement authorities, members of the panchayat punished her in a degrading way. She was forced to lick spit from the ground in front of others, the complaint alleged, and rights activists and the public have strongly criticized this.
Video Sparks Outrage
The case attracted widespread attention after a video allegedly depicting the humiliating incident went viral on social media. The footage prompted demands for immediate action against those responsible.
After the video was broadcast, the local police began investigating the evidence and recording statements from the victim and witnesses.
Police Investigation Underway
They have confirmed that an FIR has been registered and that an investigation is in progress. Police are checking the allegations made by the complainant, reviewing the viral video and identifying those who might have participated in or facilitated the public humiliation.
Legal action will be taken based on the outcome of the investigation, they said.
बिहार के बेगूसराय में भरी पंचायत में एक महिला को ना सिर्फ तालिबानी सजा दी गई बल्कि उसे अपने कान पकड़वाए गए और फिर जमीन पर थूक फेंककर उस महिला से चटवाया गया। pic.twitter.com/lqPzd5wOIQ
— Anjali Kumari (@AnjaliKumari009) August 2, 2026
Renewed Debate on Extra-Judicial Punishments
As with the matter of crimes against women, the incident once again has reignited concerns about illegal extra-judicial decisions of village panchayats. Legal experts have long said that the investigation into sexual assault needs to be conducted solely through the criminal justice system and that no community body has the power to impose punishment or pressure victims in any way.
Women's rights groups have also called for heavy punishment against everyone responsible for the alleged humiliation and advocate that the survivors be given legal help.
And there will be other witnesses to ask about, and we will look at all evidence available," said D'Angelo.
