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Bengaluru police have arrested five under-graduate students for harassing a female national swimmer on Saturday night.
According to the complaint filed at Yeshwantpur police station, the victim after finishing her practice with the professional batch (advanced training) at Mathikere swimming pool was walking towards her lane, when the boys in the nearby apartment intercepted her way and passed lewd remarks.
The girl immediately dialled the police control room and the two beat constables came to the lane and detained the suspects.
However since the girl did not wish to get involved in the matter fearing for her reputation, we booked them for petty offence and let them out with a stern warning, an official said.
But on Sunday morning, the victim posted her harrowing ordeal on a social networking site which evoked substantial response from her followers and alerted by the media subsequently the police alerted from this development and to avoid controversy went back to the residence of the previously detained and arrested them.
The police also convinced the victim to lodge a formal complaint at Yeshwanthpura police station. Of the arrested while two are pursuing Business management course, two other were students of journalism and another was a engineering student.
They were later taken for medical examination, the police added. According to the police, the residents complained that the particular house regularly hosted parties during weekend by children (some in their teens) of local prominent people and had behaved badly with the residents earlier.
“All previous antecedents will be taken into consideration and action will be taken against them,” the police said.
State Public Prosecutor, Venkatesh Bubberjung – whom the female victim first approached to suggest legal course said that he has requested the police officials to increase the frequency of patrol, including the swimming pool area.
“Training of the athletes must not be affected due to the acts of anti-social elements and police have assured they will take appropriate measures,” Venkatesh said.