Six detained over New Year sex attacks in Bangalore Published duration 4 January 2017

image copyright BANGALORE MIRROR image caption Women in the square have talked about being grabbed and hassled by men at the celebrations

At least six people have been detained for allegedly molesting women during New Year's Eve celebrations in the Indian city of Bangalore.

Local police inspector Hemant Nimbalkar said the detentions were made after several video clips were shared online showing women being attacked by men.

Police initially played down saying they had received no official complaints.

But after viewing CCTV police officials admitted there was "credible evidence".

The attacks took place as a crowd of 10,000 gathered in the centre of the city to see in New Year on Saturday evening.

Several women described being surrounded by mobs of men before being assaulted.

One woman, a marketing professional who asked to be identified only as Pooja, that she was assaulted both in the bar and as she walked to meet a friend.

Even when she formed a circle with another group of girls to try and walk to safety, "there were guys who were trying to touch here and there", she said.

"There was not a single face you could make out or who was doing it," she said, pointing out how difficult it would be to file a complaint.

"I felt helpless," she said. "Although I have hands and legs and I could abuse and slap them, I could not do anything. I didn't know who was touching me and groping me."

A video also emerged on Wednesday showing two men on a motorbike attacking a woman as she walked down a street in another area of city.

Karnataka State Home Minister G Parameshwara caused widespread anger earlier in the week when he appeared to blame women for the assaults, saying they had been "copying the Westerners, not only in their mindset, but even in their dressing".

"These kind of things do happen," he said.