Locals chase down eve-teasers

KOLKATA: Shopkeepers and pedestrians chased down two eve-teasers at Central Avenue on Thursday when the duo tried to flee after two schoolgirls at whom they were passing lewd comments raised a cry.
Two youths - later identified as Pintu Das, 25, and Dipankar Roy, 26 - from Habra in North 24-Paraganas, started to stalk two Class VIII students of a city school, who were returning home with their guardian, from the Central Avenue and Kolutola Street intersection.Though Das and Roy started passing comments right away, the girls and their guardian ignored them for some time. However, the youths took advantage of their silence and came closer, continuing to throw expletives at the schoolgirls.
The girls then raised an alarm and alerted local shop keepers and pedestrians. They gave a chase to both youths and nabbed them. Das and Roy were also beaten up by the mob. A Kolkata Police constable, who was on duty at the nearby crossing, intercepted and tried to rescue the duo. But he was forced to call the traffic sergeant after the locals turned the heat on him.
The senior officer arrived soon and with the help of two other cops dissuaded the mob and took custody of two accused. Both were taken to Bowbazar police station. Probe revealed that both used to work at a shop near Kolutola. The accused were booked under sections 509 (eve-teasing) and 114 (helping to commit crime).