Three days after the New Year eve revelry turned into a nightmare for several women who were allegedly molested at a large gathering in city's downtown area, police today claimed to have found "credible" evidence of molestation and have registered an FIR into the matter.
As the incidents drew widespread outrage with no action from the police, Bengaluru's new Commissioner of Police, Praveen Sood through a series of tweets tonight, said his team was working on the case silently.
"As promised we have found credible evidence repeat credible evidence in a case of wrongful confinement, molestation and attempt to rob," Sood had said in a tweet.
"We have taken action by registering an FIR. Investigation is in progress. Police is working.... though silently," he had said in another tweet.
Stating that enquiry is underway by an officer of DCP rank, he has said that they have gone through the feeds from 45 cameras on MG road, and unedited video is available with police.
Eyewitness accounts had suggested that women were molested and groped and lewd remarks were also passed by miscreants late night on December 31 in the posh area even as it was claimed that 1,500 police personnel had been deployed to control the crowds.
Police had earlier said that no one had come forward to file a complaint about the incident.
If any lady lodges a complaint of molestation that took place on December 31 night, the police will not waste even a minute in registering a case and launch a probe, Sood had tweeted on January 2, adding even without a complainant if police finds credible evidence of molestation, a case will be registered suo motu without waiting.
Sood took over as the City Police Commissioner from N S Megharikh, on January 1.
CCTV Footage shows shameless beasts molesting woman
While Sood confirmed about finding “credible” evidence in the incident, a CCTV footage has emerged as a chilling testimony to the accounts of mass molestation on New Year’s Eve in Bengaluru.
According to a Times of India report, the video footage shows two men on a scooter blocking a young woman’s path, getting off and then groping her.
Shockingly, the CCTV footage is from a house near the Kammanahalli 5th Main Road in east Bengaluru, which is a residential area.
Politicians draw flak for irresponsible remarks
On the other hand, after Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara’s “irrelevant” remark on the shameful incident, dubbed it as ‘usual’ and instead sought to blame the failure of the police machinery to protect women on the ‘western ways’ of celebrations, Samajwadi Party’s Abu Azmi went a step further with his inappropriate comment on the incident.
In a statement that is certain to bring him in the eye of a storm, Azmi, in the name of culture and tradition, laid the entire blame on the women who all welcomed 2017 on a forgettable note.
"It's regrettable, a case should be registered. But if we say anything against girls and boys going out together, we are called old fashioned. In Indian culture there should be propriety in how men and women meet," said Azmi.
