Hunt on for culprits in Bengaluru molestation case

Bengaluru, Jan 4 (IANS) A massive hunt is on to trace two men who allegedly molested a young woman on new year's day here, said a top police official on Wednesday.

"We are searching for two unidentified men who allegedly molested and groped the woman at 2.41 a.m. on Sunday. We have filed a FIR against them suo moto," Bengaluru's new Police Commissioner Praveen Sood said.

The FIR was filed under sections 341 (wrongful restraint) and 354A and 354B (assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

"The FIR was filed on Tuesday night on the basis of a video footage of the incident at Kammanahalli," Sood told the media.

"The victim's neighbour gave us the video in response to our appeal to provide visual evidence of such incidents."

The footage showed the victim walking in a close residential area towards her house. It also showed the scooter-borne duo turning around and one of them walking across to her.

The duo were then seen molesting and dragging her to the two-wheeler, even as she tried to wriggle out, slapping the molester.

"We have formed a special team to investigate the incident and get the culprits at the earliest though the victim has not filed a complaint against them," Additional Commissioner of Police (East) Hemant Nimbalkar told IANS.

The video clip also showed the victim falling on the road after escaping from her attackers even as some onlookers watched "the horror" from a distance.

The victim's neighbour, Francis, had installed a surveillance camera at his house to safeguard his car after it was scratched and damaged.

"The victim and her friend approached me to find out if our camera captured the incident and to identify the accused. As it did, I handed it over to the police for tracing the culprits," Francis told reporters.

Though the victims did not file a complaint, they confided in Francis that the horrifying incident occurred when they were returning home in an auto after celebrating the new year's day with friends in the city.

"The victim's friend alighted from the auto first and hurriedly walked into their house. The victim paid the auto fare and was walking to the house when the two drove from behind on the scooter and overtook her," Francis said.

"Halting it on the other side, one of them walked up to her, grabbed her by the neck, hugged and kissed her while his accomplice watched passively," he added.

The victim also told Francis that the accused tried to abduct her and were forcing her to sit in the front side of the scooter.