5 cabbies held for harassing woman sitting with friend in car

Five cab drivers have been arrested on suspicion of sexually harassing a 20-year-old woman in a village near Hoskote in Bengaluru Rural, police said.

The men allegedly surrounded the car in which the woman and a male relative were having snacks and soft drinks between 11.30 am to 12.30 pm on September 25.

Claiming to have recorded their "act" on their phones, the men threatened the woman and her relative and demanded Rs 5 lakh for not leaking the video to social media. An argument ensued. The men then pulled the woman out and groped her.

A group of cattle grazers happened to pass by the area and rescued the woman and her friend, forcing the five men to flee.

Based on a complaint from the woman, Anugondanahalli police arrested the five men the same day. Police gave their names as Asif, 29, Nawaz Pasha, 22, Liyaqat Pasha, 30, Rohid, 26, all from Handenahalli, and Salman Khan, 28, of Marasandra village. All are cab drivers.