Bihar villagers shave youth’s head, parade him after accusing him of harassing mute woman

A young man in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district was allegedly publicly humiliated by villagers after being accused of molesting a mute woman, with locals shaving part of his head, smearing black soot on his face and parading him through the village streets. The incident took place in Basant Panchayat under the Aurai police station area and a video of the episode has since gone viral on social media.

According to local accounts, the accused youth, originally from neighbouring Sitamarhi district but living in Aurai for several years, allegedly misbehaved with a disabled woman from the village. When the woman’s family and other villagers came to know about the allegation, anger spread in the area, prompting the convening of a panchayat meeting.

During the meeting, the gathering reportedly declared the youth guilty and imposed a fine of ₹5,001. The villagers then allegedly carried out a humiliating punishment, shaving half of his head, marking his forehead with black soot and tying a gamcha around his neck before parading him around the village as a warning to others.

Several villagers gathered to watch the incident, and some were seen supporting the act as the youth was marched through the streets. Reports also indicate that the accused comes from a financially poor family, with his father earning a livelihood by selling roasted grains.

After the video surfaced online, the incident drew attention from the police. DSP East (I) Alay Vats said the authorities have taken note of the viral video and launched an investigation. “The police are conducting a thorough investigation. No one has the right to take the law into their own hands. If the claims in the viral video are found true, strict legal action will be taken,” he said.