Kolkata police have arrested one man after a woman alleged that she was molested and assaulted by a group while travelling as a pillion rider from Nagerbazar towards Lake Town on Friday night. Police are searching for three other men named in her complaint at Nagerbazar police station, according to a report by The Telegraph India.
The woman alleged that her friend, who was riding the two-wheeler, was also assaulted during the incident. She told television news channel ABP Ananda that the confrontation began around 8.30pm when the two-wheeler stopped in a traffic jam on Jessore Road.
According to her account, her friend was honking while trying to find a way through the congestion when a man approached him and questioned the use of the horn. The man allegedly identified himself as Pakai and said the road would remain closed for as long as he wished, the woman said.
She alleged that when her friend attempted to move away, he was slapped and the key to the two-wheeler was snatched. The woman said she got off the vehicle after four men allegedly pulled her into a narrow lane, where they molested her. She also alleged that the men pulled at her chain and tore it.
The woman further told ABP Ananda that her brother and nephew heard her cries and came to the spot. She alleged that they were beaten with the butt of a gun. The account reported by The Telegraph India does not state whether the firearm has been recovered or whether the police have confirmed its use.
The woman said she had recorded the incident on her mobile phone but deleted the footage after the men allegedly threatened her with firearms. Police have arrested one accused and are attempting to identify the remaining people named in the complaint, an officer told The Telegraph India.
The incident took place on a route connecting Nagerbazar and Lake Town, with the initial confrontation reported during traffic congestion on Jessore Road. The allegations place the subsequent assault near a narrow lane close to the road, although the supplied report does not identify the exact lane or provide details of the police case sections.
The police investigation is continuing. Authorities are expected to establish the identities and roles of the other alleged participants and examine the woman’s complaint and available evidence as part of the investigation.
