Bengaluru mass molestation: 45 cams, 2 minute feed, 0 evidence

Bengaluru: Three days after the charge that the police had done little to help or protect young women who were groped and molested during New Year's eve celebrations in the IT capital's central business district, police have finally clarified that they have spent hours going over and over the footage from CCTV cameras and have found no evidence of such activity.

The City police who have culled images from 45 CCTV cameras installed on MG Road and Brigade Road told Deccan Chronicle that they were going to release the unedited version of the two-minute footage of the alleged case of mass molestation (of women) during the New Year’s Eve street party on the Police Commissioner’s twitter handle.

“The two minute video, which has gone viral with blurred images of women will be released in the unedited version on the commissioner’s twitter handle to show the public, the truth,” said an official source.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, City Police Commissioner Praveen Sood said that they have carefully examined the entire footage of the CCTV cameras, which had been installed in the ‘party zone’ that evening and have found “no evidence” of molestation or groping of women party revellers in them.

Baptism by fire for Sood
“We have found no such evidence. We are appealing to the alleged victims to file a complaint to us and we will register an FIR against the perpetrators and try and identify them. If the victims are hesitant to come to the police station and take down their complaint, we can go to their homes."

He said however that " so far no one has come forward with any complaint or CCTV footage, which shows women being molested in the crowd,” said the new City chief. He said he has also asked the TV channels, which were telecasting the party live to share the footage with the police.

For Mr. Sood, the incident, a baptism by fire was ironic, given that he had taken charge only on January 1 and in his first address to the media had said that he was committed to the safety of women in Bengaluru!

The government had overhauled the City police on the eve of New Year and Mr. Sood replaced the then commissioner N.S. Megharikh on December 31 evening.  “I will not think twice about registering an FIR and taking strictest action against the wrong-doers but we will need some information and footage for police action,” said Mr. Sood.