Bengaluru molestation: Cab driver who harassed woman during morning walk arrested

The suspect has been arrested, and a case has been filed under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The suspect involved in the sexual assault of a 34-year-old woman in Bengaluru on August 2, a cab driver, was arrested on Monday, according to police. He allegedly assaulted her in the early morning hours while she was waiting for a neighbour to join her for a morning walk.

A 34-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted by a cab driver in South Bengaluru, with the incident captured on CCTV and widely shared online. (X/@Ashutos59663780)

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The attack, which took place at around 5 am in the Konanakunte area of South Bengaluru, was captured on a nearby CCTV camera and subsequently went viral on social media. The video, lasting just over a minute, shows the woman waiting outside a house when the man suddenly grabs and molests her. Despite her attempts to escape and call for help, the man chases her and initially overpowers her before fleeing the scene.

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"The woman was waiting in front of the house of her neighbour in a narrow by-lane 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 told reporters, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Following the release of the CCTV footage, the police located the victim and advised her to file a formal complaint. On August 4, a case was registered against the accused under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including assault, sexual harassment, stalking, and wrongful restraint.

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

(With inputs from PTI)