Ashok Choudhary told reporters on Tuesday that the state would not tolerate sexual assault, citing that similar incidents occur in the United States and Japan. Four men were arrested in Samastipur after a woman was harassed in public, police said.
Bihar, with a population of 14 crore, has seen a spike in such reports over the past week, including cases in Jamui and Darbhanga. The minister warned that the government would act decisively, likening the law to a bulldozer.
"The full force of the law will be brought down on the perpetrators," Choudhary said, adding that the state has the authority to enforce it.
Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan countered, saying criminals get bail and that the state's writ no longer runs in Bihar. He accused the government of protecting offenders.
Police will file criminal charges within 48 hours, and the state will hold a press conference on Wednesday to detail the proceedings. The case will be heard in the district court by Friday.