Two youths were arrested after a television actor alleged that two intoxicated men molested and assaulted her during the early hours of Wednesday.
The incident is reigniting concerns about women’s safety in Kolkata at night. The incident took place near the Krishna Glass Factory in Jadavpur, a southern locality in the city. The actress told reporters that she, along with four friends, had stopped for tea around 3.30 a.m. after wrapping up a late-night shoot. According to her complaint, the two men arrived in a car, began hurling abuses, and physically assaulted her, when confronted. “They misbehaved with me and tried to grope me. When we protested, they became violent,” she said.
She also alleged that the accused threatened them with acid attacks after being taken to the police station by a passing patrol vehicle. The accused men, however, filed a counter-complaint, alleging that the actress’s friends had assaulted them. Police confirmed that both parties had lodged formal complaints and that an investigation was underway. “We have registered complaints from both sides and arrested the two men based on the actress’s initial FIR,” a senior officer from Jadavpur police station said. Authorities have advised both parties to attempt a compromise, though the legal process is continuing.
The incident has once again sparked public discourse on the safety of women in Kolkata during late hours, particularly in less crowded areas.