A gang of four drunk men intercepts the car in which the woman was travelling, drags her out by the hair and beats her up in front of her family.
A bank employee was among two persons arrested for assaulting a 33-year-old woman in front of her brothers, husband and son, police said, adding that two persons were absconding.
The incident occurred around 12.10 am on Monday, when the woman, a Hebbal resident and HR manager with a firm located on MG Road, was driving an SUV home after dinner at an MG Road restaurant with her family.
According to a complaint lodged with the Commercial Street police, the woman, Poornima, said four men in a Ford Mondeo followed her from Infantry Road.
The men overtook Poornima and intercepted her car at BRV Circle. When enquired, one of the accused persons, Deepak, 32, dragged her out by the hair and slapped her.
Witness said the woman returned the slap, following which all four men assaulted her.
Police later said Deepak has been employed with the Bannerghatta branch of the HSBC. The men attacked Praveen Naik, Poornima’s husband, who had rushed to his wife’s aid. Naik, working overseas, was on a visit to the city.
“The gang was driving very fast and tried to ram into my car. They were drunk and assaulted me when I questioned their behaviour. Another man, Vishal, told me that he was a relative of minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, and a complaint will not make any difference. They also threatened to kill me if I complained to the police,” the woman said.
Hearing the commotion, passersby gathered at the scene, and Poornima informed the police control room of the incident. As the police reached the scene, one of the men, later identified as Vishal, 32, claimed that he was the relative of Katta Subramaniya Naidu, state minister for IT and BT.
“One man in the gang who assaulted the woman was shouting ‘I am Katta Subramanya Naidu’s nephew and no one can do anything against me’,” a witness said. Angered by his statement, the crowd bashed up the gang.
Police said they had arrested Vishal, an architect. However, two of their accomplices escaped, leaving the car behind.
The Cubbon Park police took all the people involved to a medical test. The test confirmed that both Vishal and Deepak were under the influence of alcohol. The HSBC employee was at the wheels.
The duo was later handed over to the Commercial Street police, since the incident had occurred in their area of jurisdiction.
“Vishal and Deepak are forcing the police to take action against my husband and brothers,” Poornima said, adding that she had prevented her brothers from getting out of the car.
Police produced the arrested duo before a court and slapped a harassment case on them. However, a case of drink driving was not charged against Deepak. A search is under way for the absconding men.
The Commercial Street police said Vishal was not related to minister Naidu. He had dropped the minister’s name to escape arrest.
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