Mentally challenged woman sexually assaulted in Bengaluru, family alleges police delayed FIR

While a medical examination ruled out rape, Bengaluru police confirmed there was an attempt to sexually assault her.

A 45-year-old mentally challenged woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by her neighbour at her home in Bharath Nagar, West Bengaluru, earlier this month.

The incident occurred when the woman was alone at her residence.

According to a report by Times of India, the incident occurred when the woman was alone at her residence. While a medical examination ruled out rape, police confirmed there was an attempt to sexually assault her.

The woman reportedly sustained injuries on her chest, hips, and thighs, and was later treated at a private hospital. The matter came to light on May 8 when her son returned home from work and found his mother visibly shaken, the report added. Upon being asked, she revealed that a man named Jayaram, 50, who lives on the first floor of the same building with his wife, had entered her home, stripped her, undressed himself, and physically assaulted her.

According to the son, the accused took advantage of the fact that the woman was alone, her daughter-in-law was away at her paternal home, and the main door had been left open. Jayaram allegedly pushed the woman onto a bed in the hall and attempted to rape her. The woman was reportedly in a state of panic, repeatedly telling her son, “Take me from here, he'll kill me.”

What followed, according to the family, was a troubling delay in police action. The son alleged that officers at Byadarahalli police station initially refused to file a First Information Report (FIR). He also claimed that a local political functionary pressured them not to pursue legal action. Despite this, the son insisted on legal proceedings, and an FIR was eventually registered on May 10, two days after the incident, the report further added

According to TOI, a senior police official acknowledged that the accused had confessed to the assault during preliminary questioning but was initially let off with a warning. It was only after the son escalated the matter to senior officers that action was taken, and Jayaram was summoned again on May 15 for further investigation.

Gaps in handling evidence

The family also raised concerns about the handling of evidence. The son claimed that his mother was not taken for a timely medical examination and that the police did not collect crucial forensic evidence such as the clothes and bed linen from the scene.

Action was taken only after the matter reached the attention of the Police Commissioner, prompting the local police to act.

The case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is underway.