A 24-year-old college student endured a harrowing experience in the early hours of Monday when two men forced their way into her cab and attempted to assault her in east Bengaluru. The assailants fled only after locals intervened.
According to the victim’s complaint, she is an undergraduate student residing in Kammanahalli. The incident occurred between 2 am and 3 am when she booked a cab through an aggregator to bring a friend from Whitefield to her home.
As she stepped into the cab and shut the door, two unknown men suddenly tried to enter the rear seat where she was sitting. Startled, she protested, and the driver—who was also unfamiliar with the duo—confronted them.
Sensing danger, the student exited the vehicle and ran toward her house. One of the men chased her, grabbed her by the neck from behind, and assaulted her. When she struggled to break free, he struck her, knocked her to the ground, and attempted to strip her, as detailed in her complaint.
The attacker sexually harassed her while the driver was engaged in a scuffle with the other intruder. Her cries for help alerted nearby residents, who rushed to her aid, prompting the men to flee.
She immediately contacted helpline 112, and a Hoysala patrol vehicle arrived at the scene. Since she had an exam in the morning, she filed her complaint with the police after completing the test.
Based on her statement, authorities have registered a case under BNS Sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty) and 75 (sexual harassment). The victim described the attackers as being in their late 20s or 30s. With no CCTV cameras in the area, police are reviewing footage from nearby locations to track the culprits.
Not an Isolated Incident
In August 2023, a 26-year-old software professional from Nagaland faced a similar attack near Lingarajpuram. Around 3:30 am, a machete-wielding youth stopped her office cab, assaulted her, and stripped her when she attempted to escape. Seeking refuge in a nearby house, she was rescued by the homeowner, who was brutally injured while defending her.
The 18-year-old perpetrator was arrested months later.
The identity of the victim has been withheld in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines on cases of sexual assault.