Before Nandan Yadav became the main accused in the alleged molestation and assault of two Class 10 students in Bihar’s Jamui, his social-media accounts projected a very different image.
His Facebook and Instagram profiles feature motorcycles, cars, local music, religious events, gatherings with friends and reels built around themes of bravado and caste pride.
Some videos also show alcohol and smoking, while others use songs and voiceovers referring to guns, crime, confrontation and fearlessness.
The posts do not establish why Yadav allegedly participated in the Jamui incident. But they offer a glimpse of the public persona he appeared to present online.
Who Is Nandan Yadav?
Yadav, 25, has been identified by police as the main accused in the September 19 incident in Jamui involving two Class 10 students.
According to police, the two students had attended tuition before going to Madwa Hill. At around 7 pm, while they were returning, a group of young men allegedly stopped them and subjected them to harassment and assault.
The students were allegedly prevented from leaving for around an hour and made repeated attempts to escape, according to the Times of India.
Police allege that Yadav chased one of the students and grabbed her from behind. The viral video of the incident shows one of the accused allegedly assaulting the student and lifting her onto his lap.
The girl's friend intervened and tried to free her, leading to a scuffle between the students and the accused. The students eventually managed to get away, although police said the accused allegedly continued to harass them and tried to prevent them from leaving.
The incident was recorded on video and the footage subsequently circulated on social media.
Police identified Yadav as the young man wearing a red scarf in the viral video, according to the Times of India.
The accused have been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
What Do Nandan Yadav’s Social-Media Posts Show?
A review of Yadav’s Facebook and Instagram accounts by ThePrint found repeated imagery centred on toughness, status and caste identity.
One Instagram reel, posted on September 8, was filmed at Madwa Hill, according to ThePrint. Yadav is seen sitting on a motorcycle and twirling his moustache while an audio track refers to Yadav identity and standing one's ground in difficult situations.
The location is significant because Madwa Hill was later identified as the site of the September 19 incident.
Other videos show Yadav with friends, including clips involving drinking and smoking.
Several posts use dramatic music or voiceovers referring to guns, jail, crime and confrontation. One audio talks about not being afraid of going to jail, while another uses a voiceover about becoming a “real villain”, according to ThePrint’s review of the accounts.
There are also videos from local restaurants, salons and social gatherings, alongside posts connected to religious occasions.
The accounts therefore do not consist only of crime-related imagery. They also contain ordinary snapshots of everyday life.
‘Yadav Pride’ Is A Recurring Theme
Caste identity also features prominently in some of the reels.
One video shows Yadav twirling his moustache as an audio track celebrates Yadav identity and suggests that a Yadav cannot easily be intimidated.
Other posts similarly use music and dialogue built around community pride.
But these posts need to be read carefully.
They show how Yadav presented himself online. They do not establish that caste identity motivated the alleged assault or explain his conduct during the September 19 incident.
The Viral Video And The Police Investigation
The video of the alleged assault became central to the investigation after it circulated online.
Police subsequently identified and arrested Ramashish Chaudhary, who was accused of making the video viral, according to the Times of India.
The police have since arrested six people in connection with the case, including three juveniles. The other three accused are reportedly between 35 and 40 years old.
Police have also been examining the digital trail surrounding the incident, including the video that brought the alleged assault to wider attention.
But the continued circulation of the footage has created another concern: the identity and privacy of the minor involved.
Authorities have warned against sharing footage that could reveal the identity of a child victim.
The Police Encounter
Yadav was arrested after a police operation near Madwa Hill, where the alleged incident took place.
According to police, officers had taken Yadav to the area while attempting to apprehend him. Police said he tried to flee, following which an encounter took place.
Yadav was shot in the leg during the exchange of fire and was subsequently taken to Jamui Sadar Hospital for treatment, according to the Times of India.
ADG (Law and Order) K Suhita Anupam said Yadav had tried to escape while police were attempting to apprehend him, after which the encounter took place.
The account of the exchange of fire comes from police and remains part of the ongoing investigation.
What The Social-Media Trail Can, And Cannot, Tell Us
Yadav’s online accounts show a recurring combination of motorcycles, moustache-focused imagery, caste references, local music, drinking, smoking and videos built around bravado.
They document the image he chose to project on social media.
But they cannot, on their own, establish his motive or prove the allegations against him.
Those questions will have to be addressed through the police investigation and the judicial process.
For now, the digital trail remains one part of a wider case that began with a video of two Class 10 students allegedly being harassed in Jamui and has since led to multiple arrests and a police encounter involving the main accused.
