Bengaluru molestation accused Bengaluru molestation accused

The Bengaluru police on Thursday arrested four persons in connection with the sexual assault of a woman on New Year’s day in Kammanahalli in the city’s eastern region. Police have identified the main attacker Aiayappa who is a delivery boy and and an ITI student. Other three who were arrested are Leno and Som Shekhar, who are helpers, and Sudesh who is a driver. Police said Aiyappa had been stalking the woman for a while.

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In a press conference, Bengaluru police commissioner Praveen Sood said, “Four out of total six persons have been arrested in the heinous act. Aiyappa, a delivery boy and ITI student is the main culprit. They had been stalking the girl for a few days. After their celebration in name of New Year, they molested her. Aiyappa molested the girl, there was no friendship or any such thing except that they stay close by.”

He said Prashant Francis, a resident of Kammanahalli, came forward with the “gory” video to help police. The arrest comes three days after a CCTV footage surfaced showing two scooter-borne two men accost a woman, zoom past her, take a U-turn and halt the vehicle before one of them jumps off, gropes her and escapes even as bystanders watch without coming to her help.

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Sood said “when we saw the video I felt that I don’t have to talk to the victim at all. It was a clear case of molestation and groping and maybe much more. We did not wait, we did not waste time to look for the victim or contact her.”

“We suo motU registered the case because what had been shown on the video convinced us beyond all possible doubt that this was a heinous crime.”

Sood warned all such “potential violators” that police would not have any mercy on them if such incidents are repeated in future.

In the footage, one of the two men is first seen approaching the woman, forcing himself on her and dragging her to the scooter while the other person is seated on it, before pinning her down.

As she resists and tries to free herself, he pushes her down on the road and both escape from the scene, but not before the victim slaps the one who had grabbed her.

The incident at Kammanahalli here had occurred even as on late December 31 night, several women were molested and groped and lewd remarks passed by miscreants on M G Road and Brigade Road, despite the presence of 1,500 police personnel to control the unruly New Year revellers.

The incident drew flak from many quarters even as Home Minister G Parameshwara stoked a controversy by blaming the youngsters’ “western ways” for the incidents.

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