459 rounded up in special drive against eve-teasing

Sending a strong warning to those indulging in eve-teasing, the Bangalore police on Saturday launched the first-ever special drive and rounded up around 459 men who were found teasing women and girls in various parts of the City.

The police booked them under Section 92 (R) of the Karnataka Police Act and served notices on them, directing them to appear before the court and pay the fine. 

According to the Act, any person found to be threatening or using abusive or insulting words or posts or affixes or exhibits any indecent, threatening, abusive or insulting material to provoke a breach of peace, is liable to be fined up to Rs 100 or undergo eight days of simple imprisonment if the fine is not paid. The person can also be sent a court notice.

“The police decided to initiate a slew of measures after recent cases of atrocities against women and girls. One such measure was a special four-day drive against those indulging in eve-teasing. 

The drive was launched on Saturday and will conclude on Tuesday,” Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Alok Kumar told Deccan Herald. 

The police top brass had directed all the DCPs to keep tabs on vagabonds and those who loiter around those places where there is large movement of women and girls. The policemen were present at certain places in plain clothes and in uniform as well. They caught those found to be indulging in such acts.

Except North-East Division, the police concentrated on all other police divisions of the City. 

As many as 77 in the West Division, 73 in North Division, 28 in Central Division and 41 in South East Division were rounded up. The police would soon concentrate on North-East Division as well, said Alok Kumar. 

The police are contemplating to make the drive a regular feature to deter offenders.

 The police would specially concentrate on girls’ schools, colleges, women’s colleges, malls, bus stands, railway stations, libraries, temples, parks, including Lalbagh and Cubbon Park, and other public places where there is heavy movement of women and girls. Recently, a man was found to be indulging in eve-teasing at Garuda Mall, while an advocate and a revenue department employee indulged in similar act during the valedictory of the Bangalore International Wine Festival-2014 at Hotel Jayamahal Palace, said Alok Kumar.

The police would soon come out with pamphlets containing relevant information, safety guidelines and phone numbers of policemen and distribute them among women and girls so that they could immediately contact the policemen in times of need. The police would also come out with banners and flexes which would be displayed at strategic locations, he said.