Representative image for an arrest.
Credit: iStock photo
Bengaluru: Two people were arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman in full public view for stealing a bundle of sarees kept in front of a shop in the city, police said on Friday.
The assault that occurred on September 21 on Avenue road in Chickpet here, was recorded by one of the shopkeepers on his mobile phone and uploaded on social media, which went viral, they said.
According to police, Umedram (44) and his employee Mahendra Seervi (25) have been arrested and remanded to judicial custody for allegedly assaulting the woman, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, in front of their shop.
Citing preliminary investigation, a senior police officer said the woman, a habitual offender, allegedly stole a bundle of sarees left outside the shop and escaped on September 20, while the shopkeeper was busy attending to other customers.
Later, when he noticed that sarees were missing, after inquiries with nearby shopkeepers, he learned that a woman had stolen them. While scanning through the CCTV footage, he identified her and kept a watch until she was caught the next day.
The accused allegedly thrashed the woman on the road, kicked, punched, and dragged her around and humiliated her before handing over to the police.
Meanwhile, on the complaint of the shop owner alleging that the woman stole a bundle of sarees kept in front of his shop, the patrolling police reached the spot where Umedram had detained the woman.
She was taken into custody, and the alleged stolen articles were seized and kept in safe custody, police said, adding that she was remanded to judicial custody in connection with the theft case.
Based on information received about the assault, a case was registered against the shop owner and his employee on charges of assault and outraging the modesty of a woman, the officer said.
The accused were apprehended and remanded to judicial custody.