Mohali: Spurned stalker held for disrobing, dragging woman by hair in street

Police arrested the accused, aged 24, within hours of the incident that was captured in CCTV cameras; the accused is a truck driver and lives in Dera Bassi

In a shocking incident, a spurned stalker assaulted, disrobed and dragged a 23-year-old woman by her hair in the streets in Dera Bassi on Friday.

The victim, according to the police, was previously in a relationship with the accused. (HT Photo)

Police arrested the accused, aged 24, within hours of the incident that was captured in CCTV cameras. The accused is a truck driver and lives in Dera Bassi.

The victim, according to the police, was previously in a relationship with the accused.

She lived in his house as a tenant for two years, but shifted to another rented accommodation in the area after they started having frequent fights.

The victim, who works in a liquor factory, eventually snapped ties with the accused and asked him to stay away from her. But he started harassing her and blocking her way in public, asking for his money back, she told the police.

Following her complaint, cops from the Dera Bassi police station went to the accused’s house, but did not find him home. Back then, police had warned his parents to rein in their son.

Despite calling him numerous times to the police station and even after assuring him of getting his money back from the victim, he did not come to the police station, as per an investigator. Angered by her police complaint, he instead went to her house along with a friend in an inebriated state post midnight on Friday.

After assaulting and tearing her clothes, he dragged her down the street by her hair. The victim was admitted to a local civil hospital with injuries on her face and legs.

After the accused went home, he was thrashed by his father for his actions, following which he fell on a sharp surface and received three stitches on the head.

The victim alerted the police, following which cops arrested the accused, while his accomplice remains on the run.

Both the accused were booked under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 354-B (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with the intent to disrobe her), 341 (wrongful restraint), 452 (trespassing) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)