Bengaluru: Cabbie, arrested for sexually harassing minor wife, flees from police station

BENGALURU: A 25-year-old cabbie arrested for sexual harassment managed to escape from a police station by pushing away a constable when he was allowed to use the toilet in the early hours of May 8.

The accused is Kiran (name changed), a native of Odisha. He had been arrested earlier that day for allegedly sexually harassing his wife — a 17-year-old girl — and later sharing private videos on social media.

Kadugodi police registered a separate case against Kiran for escaping from the station and formed a special team to arrest him. Police said Kiran, who has been living in Bengaluru for over 10 years, befriended the minor a few months ago and expressed his love for her. She accepted his proposal and they got married.

The accused managed to record the private time they spent together on his mobile phone and shared the videos on social media. The girl came to know about it and questioned him. When he didn’t provide a proper answer, she filed a police complaint. Since the complainant was a minor, police registered a case of rape under section 376 of the IPC and a few sections of the IT Act as well as Pocso Act, 2012.

He was arrested the same day and lodged in a cell inside the police station. Around 2.10am, Kiran requested police that he needed to attend nature’s call. Head constable Thimmarayappa took him to the toilet and was bringing him back when Kiran pushed him and ran. Thimmarayappa and constable Ganesh Melmatti tried to chase him but he disappeared in the dark. There were fewer cops in the station as many were on poll duty.