Woman molested in Bilaspur, 2 booked

The police said the woman had given a complaint to Bilaspur police station on March 15, which was forwarded to the women police station in Manesar for investigation.

Two persons, including a woman, were booked for allegedly molesting, assaulting and defaming a 54-year-old woman, who was returning to her house after collecting her late husband’s pension, in Bilaspur on Monday. The police said no arrests had been made so far.

Rape cases across India are on the rise with even erstwhile safe metros such as Bangalore and Kolkata reporting violent crimes against women. Raj K Raj/HT Photo

According to the police, the incident took place when the woman was returning home from the post office. The police said when the woman had almost reached the house of the accused, he allegedly put a hand on her face and molested her.

In the police complaint, she said that the man appeared to be drunk and hurled abuses at her.

“When I raised an alarm, some people gathered around me. A woman came over and started passing indecent remarks at me. The man also threatened me. I ran away and reported the incident to the police helpline,” she said in the complaint.

The police said the woman had given a complaint to Bilaspur police station on March 15, which was forwarded to the women police station in Manesar for investigation. According to the woman, the accused belonged to her neighbourhood.

A case was registered against the accused persons under sections 294 (obscene act in any public place), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 500 (defamation), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code at Bilaspur police station on Tuesday, said the police.

A police official privy to the investigation, requesting anonymity, said the accused persons were yet to be arrested.

In January, a 24-year-old woman was allegedly molested by a man in Ghosh Garh near Bilaspur when she was out for a jog.