On the night of 11 June 2026, Soma, a 28‑year‑old mother of four, was attacked in the outdoor bathroom of her one‑room house in the remote village of Begusarai, Bihar. The toilet had no door, only a cloth curtain, a detail that exposed her to the five men who barged in.
According to Soma, the attackers stripped her, gagged her, tied her hands and when she tried to struggle, they lacerated her chest with a blade before gang‑raping her. They reportedly inserted objects, one of which was a bullet casing that later was found inside her vagina.
The case attracted immediate national attention after hospital staff confirmed the presence of objects and the bullet casing. Police in Begusarai released a statement noting that a Special Investigation Team was conducting raids and had arrested two of the five accused.
Soma’s husband initially dismissed her cries as a stray cat’s noise, but after he persuaded him to investigate, a neighbor helped him unlock a locked door, revealing the survivor’s condition. He subsequently took her to a police station 3 km away, only to be turned away by officers who refused to file a complaint and directed him to seek medical help instead.
Later it was disclosed that the police station head, Rajiv Kumar, was suspended for negligence, apathy and insensitivity. An FIR was registered on 13 June and the case is still being investigated.
Despite being taken to a government community health centre, Soma’s medical treatment was described as unsatisfactory. She was discharged after the first emergency visit but returned the next day following a loss of consciousness. The hospital performed further examinations after the police informed them of the gang‑rape, removing additional objects from her body. She remains hospitalized, in pain, while the investigation continues.
The brutality of Soma’s assault has revived memories of the 2012 Delhi gang‑rape, a pivotal moment that sparked protests, led to harsher anti‑rape laws, and set a precedent for how India handles sexual violence. Yet, authorities report over 30,000 cases of rape each year, underscoring a persistent systemic problem that demands stronger legal and societal responses.
Soma expresses profound concern for her children, who are currently being cared for by relatives 35 km away. She hopes to return home soon to tend to her family and recover from the trauma without permanent loss of her health.
