Midnight horror: Woman dials 100, cops launch manhunt for 2 bikers

Kolkata: Park Street police have launched a manhunt for two men on a motorcycle who allegedly stalked and molested a woman early on Thursday. The duo targeted the victim twice, escalating from verbal abuse and obscene gestures to physical assault, first at Park Street and then near Russell Street.The suspects fled after the woman resisted and alerted authorities. An FIR has been registered for outraging modesty and criminal intimidation.The ordeal for the complainant began around 1.20 am while she was standing outside a prominent luxury hotel on Park Street in order to board an app bike. According to the police complaint, two unidentified men on a black motorcycle began tailing her. The duo allegedly made obscene gestures and passed indecent remarks, using filthy language while demanding the woman accompany them. Despite the woman's attempts to ignore the provocation, the accused continued to hover around her, insulting her modesty.As the woman moved towards Russell Street in the app bike, the bikers intercepted her again around 1.35 am near the ITC Centre building. They allegedly used criminal force, touching the complainant inappropriately from behind with the clear intent to outrage her modesty. Even as the app biker tried to move away, the duo continued to chase and terrorise the woman on the deserted stretch of the road. When the woman strongly resisted, the accused reportedly threatened her. She finally called cops, leading the accused to escape from the spot, the FIR stated. The police though denied that the accused had tried to snatch her purse and mobile phone before fleeing at high speed.After the incident, the distressed victim was taken to Chittaranjan National Medical College Hospital, where she was discharged after primary treatment.A formal complaint has been lodged at Park Street police station in this matter. Police have registered a case against the unidentified bike-borne accused under sections of assault, molestation and robbery. The safety of women on the streets remains a primary concern for the city police, especially in high-traffic nightlife zones like Park Street.A senior officer of the South Division said that they are currently scanning CCTV footage from the Park Street-Russell Street intersection to bolster the evidence against the duo. The motorcycle used in the commission of the crime has been identified, and further raids are on after ascertaining the role of some individuals.