Pune: In a shocking incident, a 25-year-old woman, who was going to a friend’s place after partying in Baner, was molested and brutally assaulted by two youths. The incident took place around 2.20 am on Sunday.

Based on a complaint from the woman, who is a teacher and animal rights activist, an FIR has been registered with Chatuhshrungi police. The arrested accused have been identified as Avinash Rajendra Dhankude (21) of Dhankudevasti, Baner, and Shekhar Changdev Kalamkar (22) of Kalamkarvasti, Baner.
 
As per the FIR, after partying at a bar, she was alone going to her friend’s place on a two-wheeler at around 2.20 am. “I was riding on the road opposite the Baner Telephone Exchange when two youths riding a bike came from behind. The pillion rider molested me and went ahead. I stopped on the roadside and called my friend. However, the two youths came back and asked, “Madam is there any problem?” They were just pretending. One of them again molested me, while the other one held my hair and banged my face on the vehicle. Soon my friend reached there and saved me. He also called the police, who arrived and nabbed the two youths,” the woman stated in her complaint.

Speaking to Sakal Times, she said, “My friend arrived in the nick of time and saved me. He caught hold of one of the accused, as I had removed the key of their bike. The cops reached soon and took them along.”

Police have charged the accused persons for offences under sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult) and 354 (outraging modesty of a woman) under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Assistant Police Inspector Dattatray Shinde, who is investigating the case, said, “We arrested the accused persons immediately. They were produced before the court, which remanded them to magisterial custody. The complainant and accused persons are not known to each other. Further investigation is going on. Both accused are unemployed.”