A big city like Bengaluru does witness incidents like the molestation of women here and there, though there is peace in the city due to police presence, Karnataka Home minister G Parameshwara said on Monday, April 7.
In the wake of the alleged molestation of a woman, he said whenever such an incident happens, it draws public attention.
The minister said he gives instructions to the Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda on a daily basis to strengthen the patrolling and monitoring system.
He was responding to the incident where a woman was molested in a secluded place in Suddaguntepalya.
“Police are working continuously round-the-clock ignoring rain and cold. That is why there is peace in Bengaluru. In a big city like Bengaluru, here and there incidents like this do take place,” the minister said.
He added that he regularly tells the police commissioner that they have to be alert, the beat system should be followed regularly, and monitoring should be enhanced.
“I tell him that patrolling should happen in every area in a disciplined and effective way. We take action as per law. Beat system has to be made very effective. That is the reason that I directed the police commissioner about it,” Parameshwara said.
His casual remarks have sparked a row over politicians’ attitudes towards incidents of sexual assault.
Here are a few reactions from social media users.
A woman in Bengaluru was groped and molested by a man while walking on a deserted street at night. The incident occurred on April 3, but came to police notice only on Sunday, April 6, sparking outrage over women’s safety in the city.
CCTV footage surfaced on social media platforms and quickly went viral. The woman is seen walking with a female friend in a dimly lit residential area while her molester paces behind her.
He suddenly grabs and gropes her and flees the scene. The shocked victim and her friend stand still for a few seconds, trying to process what happened, before hurriedly walking home.
According to the timestamp of the footage, the incident occurred at around 1:52 am on April 3.
As the incident surfaced on social media, evoking strong reactions from netizens, the Bengaluru police swung into action and registered a suo-moto FIR under Sections 74, 75, and 78 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
