Kolkata: An incident of stalking and harassment was reported from a south Kolkata cafe that the complainant was visiting. The cafe administration was alerted after she called for help after coming face to face with her stalker, and they helped her lodge the case, said cops. The accused fled the spot.
Sources said though she had been followed before, the repeated threats of informing her parents unnerved her. When she saw him at the cafe, she asked for help, prompting the establishment staffers to step in.
Cops have now registered a case against the accused, a Bhowanipore resident, for allegedly stalking the woman, who also lives in the area. The case was filed on Sunday under sections 78(2) (stalking) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the BNS.
According to the complainant, she was dating the accused from last Oct to this March. However, after she ended the relationship, the accused allegedly began stalking her from June 13 and threatened to reveal their past relationship to her parents and relatives. Police said the accused continued to harass her across multiple social media platforms, even though she kept blocking him. He also reportedly made intimidating calls to the woman.
"These crimes can cause severe emotional distress and damage to social reputation," an officer said. Cops are gathering digital evidence to build a strong case against the accused. The incident serves as a reminder of the need for awareness about stalking and the available legal recourse for victims of harassment.