KOLKATA: A 36-year-old woman, who along with her husband was watching ‘ Baahubali 2 ’ at a south Kolkata theatre during a night show, was allegedly molested by five men sitting in the row behind her. Her husband was reportedly beaten up.

The incident took place when the couple went to catch the 9.15pm show at Menoka opposite Lake on April 30. Just as the film started, the accused began to harass her, said the police, adding they even touched the woman and made lewd comments. As she protested, the accused reportedly threatened her. When the husband intervened, he was manhandled and even slapped, the police added. With a commotion ensuing, the hall officials alerted the Tollygunge police and four of the accused were arrested. But the main suspect gave the cops a slip. The arrested, Chandan Das, Sajal Kesari, Rajen Shaw and Viki Shaw, were notorious troublemakers from the Bakulbagan area, known to regularly harass women, police said.

The victim later told TOI the five men were in no mood to watch the film. “They kept kicking my chair. Even after the film began, they kept getting up from their seats. One of them, while returning to his seat, touched my face and hair. He even had the guts to apologise while sitting down. I decided to take up the issue during interval,” she said. When the woman confronted the accused, he allegedly feigned ignorance; enraged, she reportedly slapped him, which led all the five to intimidate the couple, demanding to know why she slapped him. As the husband stepped in, the accused reportedly beat him up.

By then, the hall authorities arrived and requested the couple to shift to other seats. But the couple decided to leave around 10:45pm. The hall officials had alerted the police but before the cops arrived, the accused again confronted the couple as they were about to leave. “My husband did not even raise his hands but was slapped at least six times,” the victim claimed.

The police were now examining if the accused were repeat offenders. “Their confidence might stem from the fact they got away with such offences earlier,” said an officer.

Menoka owner Pranab Roy claimed such an incident had never occurred. “This lady had come to watch ‘Baahubali 2’ with a gentleman. Well into the film, we heard a commotion. The lady alleged she was inappropriately touched by a man. We were not inside the theatre and can’t say what exactly happened. The man with the lady tried to retaliate by coming to blows with the accused. We made them sit separately and called the cops. I don’t really know what the matter is. But I don’t think in Kolkata, an unknown man will have the audacity to touch a lady inappropriately inside a packed theatre. There could have been a history that led to this. But then again, I am only speculating.”

(Inputs from Promita Guha, Raisa Ghosh & Samrat Ganguli)

