Video of Sisters in India Thrashing Their Harassers Goes Viral

In a country where widespread sexual harassment and violence against women often goes unpunished, social media users are going wild over a video of two sisters on a bus beating up their alleged harassers.

The video shows the young women shoving the men, pounding them with their fists, and whipping one with a belt as the men push back:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiURsb91rEg]

The sisters, Aarti and Pooja Kumar, 22 and 19, respectively, were riding a bus from their college in the town of Rohtak in Haryana state last Monday when they say three men started making lewd comments and touching them. None of the other passengers stepped in to help them, although a pregnant woman sitting nearby managed to capture the now-viral footage on her phone.

The men eventually pushed the sisters out of the moving bus. But nearly two years after the fatal gang rape of a young woman on a Delhi bus sparked mass protests, Indians are seizing on the video as a symbol of women’s ability to fight back.

The three alleged harassers were subsequently arrested, while the Haryana government said it will give the new-media darlings cash awards for their bravery and will work to strengthen protections for women on public transportation.

Meanwhile, #RohtakBravehearts has exploded on Twitter, while Facebook posts of the video have logged thousands of comments.

Although many are drawing inspiration from the video, others see it as a bleak indication of the country’s continuing misogyny. Filmmaker Gouri Lekshmy wrote on Facebook that the video is a reminder of what is “facing Indian women these days” that makes her “sad & miserable.”

Another Facebook user doubts the incident will effect long-lasting change:

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Some Twitter users feel that by focusing on how the sisters turned the tables on their attackers, media coverage is failing to address the underlying social and legal issues that forced them to fight back in the first place:

Many channels discussing the #RohtakBravehearts incident. Sad that none is discussing why there is such widespread contempt of law.

— हम भारत के लोग (@India_Policy) December 1, 2014

Let us move on from the “brave-heart” nonsense & do something about our collective cowardice & complicity http://t.co/OEYepo0GIf #Rohtak

— Chitra Subramaniam (@chitraSD) December 1, 2014

Others question whether Haryana’s chief minister and others should applaud fighting violence with violence:

@moonsez @sandygrains @Meetasengupta I think it does, but then I’d be a hypocrite because I have suggested chopping the balls of rapists.

— Internet Secularatty (@YearOfRat) December 1, 2014

So CM wants to facilitate #rohtak sisters. R we saying violence n assault by girls is ok in response to verbal abuse? @ndtv

— he boy me (@heboyme) December 1, 2014

A few are worried the video will result in further harassment for the sisters and say this is where the Haryana authorities should step in:

Would @mlkhattar visit the #RohtakBravehearts n ensure their family is not harassed and forced to withdraw the complaint?

— Deepika Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) December 1, 2014

Still, most social media users see the video as a much-needed source of hope.

#RohtakBravehearts Yes girls can fight back.Keeping quiet s main problem.I remember slapping a guy once in DTC bus (was hell scared after)

— Mufflerified Prerna (@Iam_Prerna) November 30, 2014