BENGALURU: A 20-year-old air hostess student has alleged repeated harassment by three scooter-borne men, who regularly followed her, teased and intimidated her during her daily commute from home to bus stop. Recently, while she was walking home, the accused allegedly hit her on the back.Distressed, she informed her family and approached police. She told police that she was undergoing air hostess training at a private college in east Bengaluru and lives with her family in a village near Bagalur.The accused are residents of the same village. She said she commuted to and from college by bus and the main accused, 22, along with his friends, followed her daily on a scooter and teased and intimidated her.On April 19, they allegedly made a few lewd comments. As they continued to trouble her, she grew distressed and feared stepping out alone. She then informed her mother about the incident.On April 23, the situation took a more alarming turn. After missing her usual bus around 9am, she called her father, who asked her to return home so he could take her to college in his car. While walking back home, the accused approached her from behind on a scooter and hit her on the back. She said she was shocked and humiliated.She rushed home and informed her family. With their support, she filed a complaint at Bagalur police station. A case has been registered under BNS Sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 75 (sexual harassment).Bagalur station police have detained the accused. Police said that during interrogation, the main accused claimed he was in love with the girl and that she had suddenly stopped talking to him, so he was trying to reconnect with her. He said he was only trying to stop her and his hand accidentally touched her back. (The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
