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Two people have been arrested in India's Bihar state after a group of men shaved the heads of two women as "punishment" for resisting rape. The group, which included a local official, ambushed the mother and daughter in their home with the intent of raping them, police said. When the women resisted, they assaulted them, shaved their heads and paraded them through the village. Police say they are searching for five others involved in the incident. "We were beaten with sticks very badly. I have injuries all over my body and my daughter also has some injuries," the mother told the ANI news agency. The women also said that their heads were shaved in front of the entire village. 'There's no fear of law' Geeta Pandey, Delhi The attempted rape is a sexual crime, but the subsequent assault, tonsuring the women's heads and parading them through the village is an assertion of male power in a community, deeply entrenched in patriarchy. What is most worrisome is that the assaulting mob was led by a government official - an elected representative whose job is to look after the welfare of his people, not attack them. The audacity of the crime shows how in parts of India there's no fear of law. To begin with, poor marginalised groups find it hard to even convince the police to lodge complaints. Then their cases are shoddily investigated and an overburdened slow-paced judicial system mean the powerful often get away with blue murder. Public anger and outrage, that occurs every time a crime of this nature occurs, is short lived. What is needed is much more consistent action from the authorities, bringing swift justice to the victims of such crimes and restoring the rule of law in remote rural areas of the country. "Some men entered the victims' home and tried to molest the daughter," a police officer told local media, adding that her mother helped her fight off the men. India woman en route to police set on fire by 'molesters' Why India's rape crisis shows no signs of abating The state's women commission has also condemned the incident, saying that "further action" will be taken. This is not the first time such an incident has occurred in the state. In April, a teenage girl was attacked with acid for resisting an attempted gang rape. And a few months back, a woman in Bihar was assaulted, stripped and paraded naked through the village market. Public outrage over sexual violence in India rose dramatically after the 2012 gang rape and murder of a student on a Delhi bus. The issue became a political flashpoint again in 2018, after a string of high-profile attacks against children. However incidents of rape and violence against women continue to be reported from across the country.

Lenders to Jet Airways have said they plan to bring insolvency proceedings against the struggling carrier. The move follows a failed attempt to find a suitable buyer for what was once India's biggest private airline. Jet Airways has been hampered by more than $1bn (£790m) of debt. In April, the airline suspended all international flights. The move left passengers stranded in India and European cities including London, Paris and Amsterdam. Etihad Airways already owns 24% of Jet Airways and is reported to have expressed an interest in taking more control. Banks have been seeking a buyer for the airline, but the latest development by the carrier's lenders suggest there are no serious bidders available. The insolvency process, if successful, will allow lenders such as State Bank of India to begin selling parts of the business, or assets, in order to recover some of the money they are owed. A court will decide what happens next. Pilots, engineers and ground staff have not been paid for months, and passengers have been left stranded around the world as a result of cancellations. Jet Airways was formed in 1993 after India liberalised its economy and allowed competition from private carriers. The rise of Jet Airways coincided with the decline of Air India, which was plagued by poor service and bad business decisions. After a prolonged struggle to revive the ailing airline, the lenders have run out of patience. Their decision to refer Jet Airways for insolvency is the final nail in its coffin. With liabilities of more than $4bn, the airline failed to attract any serious investors. Technically, it could still be sold to a new investor under the bankruptcy proceedings. However, given the size of its overall debt and liabilities, experts feel it's very unlikely to find any suitors. The bankruptcy proceeding will take time to complete, but the closure of Jet Airways marks a significant chapter in India's aviation history. During the course of its life it went on to become one of the most successful private carriers in the country. During its peak, Jet Airways used to operate on 600 domestic and 380 international routes with more 110 aircraft as part of its fleet.