Man gropes young woman in Bengaluru Metro as 'callous' co-passengers watch

Bengaluru, Nov 22 (IANS) Taking advantage of morning rush, a man groped a young woman in a moving Namma Metro train here even as the co-passengers remained mute spectators ignoring the victim's screams for help.

Inaction of the people helped the harasser escape from the spot.

The woman's friend shared her ordeal on Reddit social news website and forum, and the post has gone viral on social media, raising concerns about the safety of women.

Using the username "proteincarbs," the friend recounted that his friend, who usually takes the bus to college, decided to take the Metro instead on November 20.

Around 8:50 a.m. at Majestic, the Metro was extremely overcrowded, much more than usual, with a lot of pushing and shoving. Even the woman responsible for managing passenger flow let an unusually large number of people into the train at once, he said.

"After a while, my friend began to feel very uncomfortable. She soon realized that a man in a red shirt, standing right behind her, was touching and grabbing her from the back. She could literally feel his hands," he stated.

"My friend didn't initially realize what was happening. The moment she turned around, the man literally sprinted away. She started screaming and crying for help, but nobody seemed to care," he recounted.

He further mentioned that she (the victim) is traumatized, and he is helpless.

The Bengaluru Metro Corporation Limited (BMRCL) officers maintained that they have not received a complaint regarding the incident that occurred on November 20 until now.

If a complaint is lodged, immediate action will be taken, and CCTV footage will be verified.

In a similar incident, a September 9, a college student had complained about sexual harassment during her journey.