Patna, June 4
The outcry over the tragic death of an 11-year-old Dalit girl from Muzaffarpur has intensified, as delegations from the Congress and Jan Suraaj Party submitted memorandums to Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Wednesday, demanding strict action and compensation for the rape victim’s family.
The 11-year-old rape victim had died after allegedly being denied timely treatment for her stab wounds and other injuries at the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on June 1.
The child was left writhing in pain in an ambulance for nearly four hours in the searing heat before being admitted to hospital.
She later succumbed to her injuries due to what is being termed as gross medical negligence.
A delegation led by Bihar Congress president Rajesh Ram met the Governor at Raj Bhavan to register the party's protest over the injustice to the minor rape victim.
Ram formally demand immediate action against those responsible, adequate financial compensation for the grieving family and structural reforms to prevent such incidents in the future.
Speaking to IANS, Ram said: “We met the Governor and he assured us that justice will be done. He condemned the incident and said that such a crime has no space in a civilised society. We have pointed out that the deceased girl's mother is in deep distress. She should be given adequate compensation.”
The incident has triggered widespread protests across Bihar, with Opposition leaders from the RJD, Congress, and Jan Suraaj Party staging demonstrations.
Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav has squarely blamed the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government and demanded the resignation of Health Minister Mangal Pandey.
In response to the growing public and political pressure, Minister Mangal Pandey has constituted a three-member high-level investigation committee to probe the incident.
The Health Department has already initiated disciplinary measures based on preliminary findings.
Dr. Abhijeet Singh, Deputy Superintendent of PMCH, has been removed from his post and Dr. Vibha Kumari, Superintendent of SKMCH (Muzaffarpur), has been suspended. She has been directed to report to the Patna headquarters of the Health Department during the suspension period.
Ram dismissed these measures as inadequate, questioning the sincerity of the Nitish Kumar government's response to the crime and its aftermath.
“Such action would not be a punishment. Once this case gets old, they will be reinstated to their posts. If the government had terminated them, then it would have been considered real punishment,” Ram said.
Besides the Congress, Jan Suraaj Party's state president Manoj Bharti also handed over a memorandum to the Bihar Governor in the same case and demanded justice for the family of the deceased child.
The death of the Dalit girl has become a flashpoint in Bihar’s political discourse, particularly as the state gears up for Assembly elections in 2025, with Opposition parties sharpening their attack on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s administration.
