NCW takes cognisance of reports of harassment of woman on train in West Bengal

Kolkata: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken cognisance of reports alleging that a female passenger was harassed and secretly recorded with a mobile phone on an express train in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, it said in a social media update on Sunday.

The incident allegedly occurred on March 5 when the woman travelled by Balurghat Express.

"The Commission has prima facie observed that the act amounts to voyeurism, punishable under Section 77 of BNS Act, 2023, along with Sections 75, 79 of BNS Act, 2023 & Section 66E of IT Act, 2000," the NCW said in a Facebook update.

Sections 75 and 79 of BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) deal with gestures intended to insult the modesty of a woman.

"FIR must invoke these provisions," the NCW update said.

Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar called the woman, who claimed to be a college student, over the phone and asked her to write to the district superintendent of police seeking protection.

The NCW said that the woman's identity has allegedly been shared online, leading to threats to her.