A 24-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly trying to sexually assaulting a 21-year-old college student while she was returning from a party in Koramangala on Sunday, a police officer said.
Bengaluru south east division DCP Sarah Fathima said the accused, identified as Mukeshwaran, is a dance choreographer in the city.
She said: “The accused, identified as Mukeshwaran, attempted to rape the woman, daughter of an army officer, who had taken a lift while returning home. He was arrested on Sunday. The accused, originally from Tamil Nadu, has been residing in Bengaluru since 2003 and works as a dance teacher in the city. He had no prior criminal record.”
On Sunday, additional commissioner of police (East Zone) Raman Gupta said the woman, originally from Maharashtra, is a student at a private college in the outskirts of the city.
The incident took place at around 1:15am on Sunday when she was returning to her accommodation, she drove her friend’s car but struggled to control the vehicle and accidentally bumped into three auto-rickshaws. This led to a confrontation with the auto drivers, prompting the woman to call the police helpline, 112, out of fear.
“In a state of panic, the young woman decided to leave the scene and sought help from passing bikers to get home. The first biker she approached declined to assist, but a second biker agreed to drop her off,” Gupta said.
{{/usCountry}}“In a state of panic, the young woman decided to leave the scene and sought help from passing bikers to get home. The first biker she approached declined to assist, but a second biker agreed to drop her off,” Gupta said.
{{/usCountry}}He further said that the biker, however, took an unexpected route away from the main road, stopped near an isolated shed and attempted to sexually assault the young woman.
He said: “Sensing the potential danger, she activated an emergency alert app on her phone, sharing her live location with her friend and father. The quick response from her friend, who informed the police, allowed police personnel to track her location and reach the scene.”
“The attacker fled the area upon hearing the approaching police vehicle. He had, however, assaulted her, tore her clothes, and left her in a distressed state,” he said, adding that the police rushed the woman to a private hospital in Hebbagodi for treatment.
DCP Sarah Fathima on Monday said that the police were able to track down the accused and arrested him based on CCTV footage and the vehicle description provided by the victim’s friends.
The victim was treated at a private hospital in Bommasandra and is currently recovering, she said.
An FIR has been registered under the appropriate sections at the HSR Layout Police Station, and the case remains under investigation, the officer added.