A woman was allegedly sexually harassed, beaten up, and abused in full public view near Bengaluru on Sunday. The disturbing incident was captured on a CCTV camera.
The woman was out to buy groceries around 4 pm yesterday in Renuka Yellamma Layout near Mailasandra when a group of men blocked her way. The footage showed the men following her and trying to touch and speak with her. At one point, one of the men was seen slapping her as she struggled to get away.
The men reportedly thrashed her when she tried to resist the harassment attempt and defend herself. In the clip, she was seen trying to fight back. She was later rescued by locals and a friend of hers. However, the friend has been arrested for beating up one of the men who harassed her.
Shortly after, the accused allegedly stormed into the woman’s neighbourhood and attacked the residents who had come to her rescue. Another video showed the men trying to enter the gate of what looked like a residential complex.
“Yesterday, I was walking to a shop when I saw a group of men fighting in the middle of the road. They stopped me and started to abuse me and touch me inappropriately. They were intoxicated and tried to sexually harass me, and then the public came to help me,” the woman told the media.
The group of men were suspected to be under the influence of marijuana and paint thinner.
“The men hit the people who came to help me. They hit me, too,” she said.
The Woman has filed a complaint with the Bannerghatta Police. A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered, and an investigation is underway, police said. The police have involved Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 74 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) along with other sections.
The woman allegedly called her friend to help her. He allegedly assaulted one of the men who harassed her. Complaints have been filed from both sides, said police. The friend, a gym trainer, has been arrested, while the man who is accused of harassing the woman is yet to be caught.
