BANGALORE: The chief minister may have stressed on safety and security of girls and women in his Independence Day speech on Friday morning, but a sexual predator on the prowl did not let the city feel rest assured even for half a day.

In a grisly incident, a 95-year-old woman was allegedly raped by a 35-year-old autorickshaw driver at Nyanappanahalli, near Begur, off Outer Ring Road, south Bangalore, on Friday afternoon.

The incident happened when the woman was returning home by an auto from Bannerghatta Road after visiting some relatives there.

Nyanappanahalli is located between Bannerghatta Road and Hosur Road.

The autorickshaw driver stopped some distance away from her house as the road was not motorable. Police said the driver offered to walk her home. The path was surrounded by bushes and the man allegedly dragged her into one of the bushes and raped her.

Passersby, who found the woman in a semi-conscious state alerted Hulimavu police. Police reached the spot around 4 pm. She was brought to Jayanagar General Hospital around 5 pm.

Hospital RMO Dr Kishore Kumar said their gynaecologists examined the woman. "It looked like a case of sexual assault. The woman's clothes have been sent for forensic examination," he said.

The doctor said the woman appeared to be about 85 years old and was sent home after treatment. She has been asked to return on Saturday for more tests and scanning.

Police said the woman is unable to give a statement or identify the autorickshaw driver. "We are trying to find his identity, but we have no details on him except that he looked to be around 35 years old. We have gathered some details from people who saw her walking with the autorickshaw driver. The woman and her family members say she is 95," police said.

