Concerns About Women Safety in Bangalore After Sexual Assault in Car

Accussed Naseer Hyder. 23, is the son of local Bahujan Samaj Party leader

Bangalore : A 22-year-old woman was allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted by the son of a BSP leader in Bangalore raising concerns about women safety in the IT hub.

The woman was assaulted in Bangalore's upmarket Frazer town locality on Friday night while returning from dinner along with a male friend.  

Police said that the accused, 23-year-old Naseer Hyder, along with four others attacked them while the woman was getting off the car to enter her apartment. 

The accused hijacked the car with both the woman and her friend in it and then drove around the city, before sexually assaulting her.

When the woman filed a complaint with the police, the officials did not take the case seriously and failed to register the complaint under relevant sections of law.

The police officer has since been suspended.

"The police inspector should have added sections 364 IPC and 376 IPC. The police investigation has been handed over to the ACP and the court has been requested to include these two sections in the FIR," Bangalore police commissioner, Raghavendra Auradkar told NDTV.

The case has turned into a political hot potato with the opposition attacking the government what it said was a "collapsing" law and order mechanism. 

"It is complete negligence on part of the police department and we have been insisting that administration, law and order has completely collapsed," former chief minister and BJP leader Jagadish Shettar said. 

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah however said his government was not responsible. "There is no failure of the government and no breakdown of law and order. I instructed them to take stern action against the culprits," he said as he came out of the Assembly.

But even though the political battle continues, the women on the streets of Bangalore are having second thoughts about the city's safety.

"I always thought Bangalore was safe for girls. They can go out and they can come at any time. But now after hearing about this, I can't be sure we are safe nowadays," a young woman told NDTV.