Bengaluru police register suo motu case after woman alleges harassment by naked man in car

A day after a video went viral on social media in which a woman in Bengaluru alleged that a ‘completely naked’ man in a car sexually harassed her, the Hebbagodi police registered a suo motu case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

In the video shared on her Instagram handle, the woman claimed that she was returning home from work when a man sitting completely disrobed inside a car repeatedly called out to her, and allegedly drove the vehicle towards her in a threatening manner. She is heard shouting for help in the video and accusing passersby of ignoring her distress. She further alleged that some people merely smiled and walked away, assuming that the incident was part of a social media reel.

Head Constable Rushabhendra, attached to Hebbagodi Police Station, filed a complaint after coming across the video while monitoring social media platforms. In his complaint, he stated that the video clearly showed the woman accusing a man in a car of sexually harassing her while being in a disrobed state.

Based on the complaint, on January 25, the police registered a case of sexual harassment under the BNS. Efforts are currently underway to trace the accused using CCTV camera footage from in and around the area where the incident allegedly occurred. The police are also trying to locate the woman to record her statement.