Cab driver arrested for molesting woman during morning walk in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: A 34-year-old woman was allegedly molested by a cab driver two days ago while she was waiting for a neigbhour to join her for a morning walk. The accused was arrested on Monday, police said.

The incident which occurred at around 5 am on August 2 in Konanakunte police station limits of South Bengaluru was caught on CCTV camera of a house on the road, and it went viral on social media platforms, they said.

In the purported video (running 1.06 minutes), the woman is seen waiting in front of a house. She is suddenly caught hold of by a man from behind. He grasps her and molests her. She shouts for help and manages to run away, but he chases her. He overpowers her as she tries to free herself from his clutches. But when the woman screams for help, he manages to flee from the spot.

Following the CCTV footage, the police traced the victim and asked her to lodge a complaint.

“The woman was waiting in front of the house of her neigbhour in a narrow bylane to go for a morning walk when the incident occurred. An unidentified man allegedly caught hold of her and molested her. When she screamed, he managed to flee from the spot,” a senior police officer said.

Based on a complaint given by her on August 4, a case was registered under sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 75 (sexual harrassment), 78 (stalking), 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of a woman) and 126 (Wrongful restraint) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), he said.

“Investigation was taken up in this case, and we have nabbed the culprit responsible on Monday. It is found that a cab driver Suresh, 25, used to frequently ferry corporate employees to and fro from that place (narrow bylane) to their place of work. On seeing the woman walking around, he tried to molest her. Further investigation is underway,” Lokesh Jagalasar, DCP (South) said.