The locals formed a group and even added the police officials in it (Representative Image). | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Key Highlights A man who had allegedly been making lewd gestures at women and was stalking them has been arrested The accused has been identified as Kanakaraj and he is a mechanic The residents of the area formed a WhatsApp group to nab the accused

Bengaluru: For the last six months, the people living in Shantinagar, Bengaluru had been struggling to catch hold of a stalker. The accused allegedly used to peek into washroom windows, he used to look at women while they bathed and changed clothes. Tired of feeling unsafe even within the confines of their homes, the residents of Shantinagar decided to catch the offender.

The residents formed a WhatsApp group where they notified each other about the presence of the mysterious man. It was through this group, that the accused was eventually caught. The locals formed the WhatsApp group and even added the police officials in it.

According to a report, the group was called 'Police Beat'. The locals chipped in and got CCTV cameras installed at the facility. The only identification that the accused had initially, was his shoulder tattoo.

The residents of the Shantinagar area told the police that the accused used to come to the locality between 10 pm to 12 midnight. He used to make lewd gestures at women and used to look through the windows of their houses.

On Sunday night, one of the women saw the accused and sent a message on the aforementioned group. The woman used to live alone. Seven residents then started following the accused and managed to catch him. Meanwhile, the police reached the spot and arrested the accused.

The accused man was identified as Kanakaraj. The 28-year-old man is a resident of KS Garden near Sudhamanagar. He works as a mechanic. While talking to the police, Kanakaraj confessed that he liked looking at women and that it gave him "pleasure".

A local said, "The women were living in extreme fear. As the nuisance did not stop, we formed a WhatsApp group with the support of the resident's welfare association. We also installed CCTVs in the month of July and his movements were captured on camera during August and September. The CCTV footage showed his face and also revealed that he had a tattoo on his shoulder. He was also seen climbing the terrace of the buildings. "

A case has been registered against the accused of voyeurism under Section 354C of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The Wilson Garden police have said that strict action will be taken against the accused. The police have lauded the locals for taking charge of the issue and working in coordination with the police.