Cop in a soup for torturing sexual harassment accused

Yeshwanth

A police sub-inspector (PSI) at the Subramanyapura station faces criticism after a video of him torturing an accused in a sexual harassment case has gone viral on Thursday.

Though the incident dates back to May, police suspect that a disgruntled policeman could have shot the video on the mobile phone and posted it on the social media later. DCP North, N Shashi Kumar, has ordered an inquiry and asked the jurisdictional ACP to submit a report at the earliest.

The 21-year-old woman worked as a ticket collector at a parking lot of a West Malleswaram complex. A man working as an AC technician at the same building frequently spoke to the woman. The man, identified as Yeshwanth, got hold of her mobile phone and called her regularly. The duo knew each other well for three months, police said.

On May 10, Yeshwanth made a phone call asking her to come near Rajajinagar soap factory, from where the duo went on a bike ride towards Nelamangala.

At an isolated spot on the Nelamangala highway, Yeshwanth misbehaved with the woman and touched her inappropriately, the woman said in her complaint. As he dropped her back, he blackmailed her and directly asked her for sexual favours.

Unable to put up with his harassment, the woman filed a complaint with the Subramanyanagar police, who filed a case under IPC section 354-A - sexual harassment. Police said the woman had to quit her job.

Police brought Yeshwanth to the police station, where he spoke rudely with the police, asking them if they had any proof to arrest him.

In the video, PSI Srikante Gowda is seen striking Yeshwanth with a hockey stick, even as two crime constables pin his legs to the ground. The PSI later strikes Yeshwanth’s bound legs with a lathi.

Police sources maintained that such hard treatment to Yeshwanth will deter sexual predators from preying on women.

A man identified as Janardhan recently slit a girl’s throat and warned her family that he would rape and kill her. The terrified family did not file a complaint and the girl is fighting for her life, a senior police official said.

The North Division police filed a case and arrested Janardhan, who was booked for attempt to murder.