Cops on toes after 2 PG break-ins, molestation bids

Pawan.Tiwari1

Chandigarh: Armed men allegedly broke into two PG accommodations and attempted to molest girls in the early hours of Thursday. There are striking similarities in both cases -- such as the accused making their escape on bicycles when their targets raised an alarm. Police have registered a case and are scanning CCTV footage from surrounding areas.

The first incident took place at a PG in Sector 16. In her complaint to the sector-17 police, a 22-year-old woman said she was asleep in her room at night when an unidentified man entered her room between 2:30am and 3am and molested her. When she resisted, he tried to intimidate her by brandishing a knife, she said, adding that she grabbed the knife and started screaming. Hearing the commotion, the accused fled on a bicycle. The victim suffered a knife cut on the hand during the struggle. She was taken to GMSH-16, where she was discharged after receiving primary medical care.

The second incident took place in Sector 37. A 23-year-old woman living in a PG accommodation told the police that she was sleeping in her room at night when an unidentified man entered at around 4am. She said the accused tried to molest her and when she raised an alarm, he threatened her with a knife. She said he attacked her when she screamed but could not inflict a serious injury. Again, the accused fled from the scene on a bicycle.

Since the modus operandi in both incidents is nearly identical, police suspect that the same accused may be involved in both crimes. Police are gathering information about suspicious individuals seen riding bicycles late at night. Police officials stated that teams have been formed to track the accused and an arrest will be made soon.

Following two consecutive incidents of break-ins at PG accommodations involving molestation and knife threats, concerns over safety of women have grown in the city.