Woman assaulted in broad daylight over indecent proposal

A post-noon visit to her sister's BCC Layout home in west Bengaluru turned out to be a nightmare for a 38-year-old homemaker, a resident of Maruthi Layout. Malavika (name changed), was walking home through the busy Athiguppe government school junction on July 28 when two youths waylaid her, springing out of an autorickshaw, and sought sexual favours -- in full public view.
According to the victim, the youths, who are on the run now, offered her Rs 2,000 in exchange for sexual favours and used filthy language.When she indignantly questioned their act, one of them hit her on her eye. Narrating the sequence of events to Mirror, Malavika said, "I was walking back from my sister's home at BCC Layout. It was around 4pm. When I reached Attiguppe government college, two youths jumped out of a stationary autorickshaw, waylaid me and offered me Rs 2,000.
They bluntly asked me to accompany them. I was too shocked to even react to their offensive behaviour. They kept on repeating the offer. Then they started pulling me, after grabbing both my hands. In fear and anger, I screamed. One of them slapped me."
Fearing stigma and to avoid the situation from escalating, Malavika requested them to leave her alone, but the youths were not willing to listen.
"The same youth again punched on my face. I started crying loudly. Soon, a few people came running towards me. Seeing the crowd, the youth, who assaulted me, managed to escape in a two-wheeler that was parked next to the autorickshaw while the other ran away from the spot. Another youth, who was sitting in the autorickshaw, abandoned the vehicle and fled."
In the melee, Malavika managed to note down the auto's registration number (KA-04-D-5530). With the help of local people, she identified the youths as Wilson and Subbu. Passerby called up police and they took her to a nearby hospital.
It was not the end of trauma for the homemaker. Having realised that she had filed a police complaint, the youths managed to reach her son, studying in BMS college and warned him with dire consequences if she didn't take back the complaint.
Malavika, who is undergoing treatment for eye-injury, says she is worried abour her daughter's safety now. "My daughter frequently visits my sister's house. If they could manage to call up my son, they can also easily reach my daughter. I want the police to arrest them at the earliest and have them punished," she said.
Chandra Layout police, who registered a case, have a different tale to tell. "As per our preliminary investigations, we have learnt that the woman (victim) had witnessed the same gang of men beating up her brother's son many months ago and she had rushed to his rescue then. There was an altercation then. The issue was settled by compromise. The youths may have misbehaved with her as an act of revenge. It can only be ascertained after they are caught," said a police officer.
Speaking to Mirror, Malavika said, "I am not sure they belong to the same group. Even I am waiting for the police to nab them. I want to know who they are and why they misbehaved and assaulted me. I will produce medical reports and photos of injuries in court and ensure that they are punished."