Jharkhand tribal woman alleges brutal custodial assault

A tribal woman from Jharkhand’s Latehar district has alleged that she was beaten, sexually harassed, subjected to casteist slurs by policemen inside the Bariatu police station.

Published on: Oct 9, 2026, 15:42:22 IST

By Raj Kumar

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Ranchi: A 33-year-old tribal woman from Jharkhand’s Latehar district has alleged that she was beaten, sexually harassed, and subjected to casteist slurs by policemen inside the Bariatu police station.

A tribal rights group shared a video of the victim sharing her ordeal and a copy of the complaint on social media on Thursday. Taking cognisance of the allegations, chief minister Hemant Soren directed the authorities on Friday to investigate and take appropriate action.

The complaint, signed by the tribal woman and a group of villagers and addressed to Latehar’s superintendent of police (SP), names Bariatu police station officer-in-charge Prabhat Kumar Das, along with a driver Kundan Thakur, Munshi Manish, and three other ‘plainclothes personnel’ allegedly involved in the assault.

According to the complaint, the woman, a resident of Melam Tola, was forcibly taken into custody on October 5 while she was grazing goats near Bajnadih Mahua.

According to the complaint, the woman allegedly subjected her to severe assault, tied upside down inside the police station, and green chillies were forced into her mouth. She further alleged that the police forcefully filmed a fabricated video statement, coercing her to claim involvement in illegal poppy cultivation before releasing her the following night. The complaint also notes that officers allegedly ransacked her home and stole ₹80,000 saved for an upcoming wedding.

Following mass outrage and intervention from Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabaha, a people’s rights organisation, and a directive from CM Soren, the Jharkhand Police set up an internal investigation team to examine the incident.

Local residents and human rights groups continue to demand the immediate suspension and arrest of the accused police officer and personnel.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Raj Kumar
Raj Kumar is a veteran Special Correspondent for the Hindustan Times based in Ranchi, Jharkhand. He is a versatile, all-round journalist known for his sharp investigative instincts and extensive ground-level reporting. Over a career spanning more than two decades in mainline media, Raj has established himself as a dynamic, situation-ready reporter. He seamlessly pivots across diverse beats to deliver high-impact stories depending on editorial demand and evolving news cycles. While Raj is trusted to cover any complex assignment at a moment's notice, his specialized focus lies at the core of state governance, legislative affairs, legal reporting, and socio-economic developments across Jharkhand. He has built an authoritative track record tracking high-profile political changes, policy implementations, and judicial updates at the Jharkhand High Court. His investigative reach extends to uncovering administrative financial discrepancies, civic infrastructure bottlenecks, tribal and land rights policies like the PESA and Municipal Acts, and deep-rooted public welfare issues. Navigating Ranchi’s bureaucratic and political corridors with ease, Raj’s extensive network of sources allows him to break critical stories with speed and precision. In an era of hyper-niche reporting, Raj’s panoramic reporting style stands out. He easily transitions from breaking major investigative scoops and financial crime tracking to producing empathetic, people-centric human interest features that reflect the ground realities of Jharkhand's communities. Committed to the highest standards of journalistic ethics and meticulous fact-checking, Raj ensures that every report bridges the gap between institutional power structures and the citizens they impact. For the Hindustan Times online platform, his timely, authoritative, and multimedia-driven reporting keeps readers deeply informed and accurately ahead of the regional and national news cycle.Read More

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