In Jharkhand, even jails are not safe: Babulal Marandi

Jharkhand's Leader of the Opposition, Babulal Marandi, harshly criticized the state government over multiple criminal incidents on Saturday (November 14, 2026). Marandi cited cases of sexual assault at Hotwar Jail, alleged rape of a minor by a Congress MLA from Simdega, and a woman's alleged rape at Gamharia police station. He termed the rape of a woman in a police station as a "repulsive image of jungle raj" in Jharkhand.

Niraj Lakra, accused policeman, was arrested, and five policemen, including the station officer-in-charge Sanjay Prasad, were suspended for dereliction of duty and negligence.

Marandi lambasted the government, stating that law and order in Jharkhand has collapsed, raising serious questions about its functioning. He highlighted that such incidents keep surfacing, disturbing the citizens. Marandi expressed deep concern over the incident at Hotwar Jail, where a man alleged severe abuse, including sexual assault, of his 20-year-old son by inmates and staff.

He criticized the government for covering up the issue, despite the victim's complaint and prior correspondence. Marandi demanded the immediate removal of all responsible jail officials and the transfer of the accused inmates.

The BJP leader also addressed the case of Bhushan Bara, a Congress MLA from Simdega, who was booked for raping his minor domestic help. Two individuals were booked for allegedly abducting and coercing the girl into making a false statement. Marandi demanded an impartial investigation and strict action against those found guilty. Furthermore, he raised the issue of 427 deaths in police and judicial custody in Jharkhand by 2026, questioning the lack of judicial inquiries in many cases.