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Bengaluru Police have arrested a delivery executive for allegedly sexually harassing a woman at a mall in Mahadevapura on December 25 at around 9.30 pm, while she was celebrating Christmas with friends.
The accused has been identified as Manoj Chand (27), a native of Guwahati who works as a delivery executive in Bengaluru. Police said he allegedly behaved indecently and intentionally touched the woman inappropriately in full public view amid the festive crowd. The woman later filed a complaint at the Mahadevapura Police Station.
Following a preliminary inquiry, police arrested Chand and took him into custody. An inspector at the Mahadevapura Police Station said the incident was reported within 10 minutes of its occurrence. “The accused is currently in custody. We are collecting all necessary evidence, and a charge sheet will be filed. His movements are being closely monitored,” the officer said.
In a separate incident on December 24, police arrested three youths for allegedly stalking and harassing a woman who was riding a two-wheeler from Jayanagar Metro Station towards BTM Layout. The accused include an 18-year-old garage worker and two 19-year-olds employed at a chicken shop.
The woman, who identifies herself as an actor, stated on social media that the trio followed her from a secluded stretch of road onto a main road. Feeling unsafe, she recorded the incident on her phone. The video shows the accused attempting to conceal their vehicle’s number plate while fleeing. The footage, which captured their actions briefly, was widely shared online.
Based on her complaint, police registered an FIR at the SG Palya Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. All three accused were arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara announced extensive security arrangements across Bengaluru ahead of New Year celebrations, with authorities expecting over 10 lakh people to gather across the city. Around 20,000 police personnel and officials have been deployed to ensure peaceful celebrations.
Security measures include CCTV surveillance, mobile phone tracking, intensified beat patrols, drone monitoring, watchtowers, and vehicle checkpoints, with a special focus on women’s safety, crowd control, and monitoring anti-social elements.
The deployment includes 14,000 personnel for law and order duties, 2,500 for traffic management, 88 Karnataka State Reserve Police platoons, City Armed Reserve units, and Cobra bike squads. Police have also introduced a heatmap system to identify high crowd-density areas in real time.
Authorities have issued advisories to bars, pubs, restaurants, and malls to strictly adhere to operating hours. Ambulances and fire tenders have been stationed at crowd-heavy locations, and transport arrangements have been made to ensure the safe dispersal of people during late-night hours.