Bengaluru Woman Recounts Metro Harassment: “I Froze” (2025)

A 25-year-old woman in Bengaluru has shared a harrowing account of sexual harassment during a Namma Metro ride on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. The incident, which occurred near the busy Majestic interchange, has once again raised serious concerns regarding women’s safety in public transit and the sensitivity of the police response.

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The Incident: 15 Minutes of Horror

The victim was traveling home from work during peak hours when a 55-year-old man, identified as Mutappa, allegedly began behaving obscenely.

• The Harassment: The woman reported that the man sat unusually close to her and began touching her inappropriately. Despite her attempts to move and create space, the man continued the behavior, even pressing his leg against hers.

• The Confrontation: Realizing the act was intentional, the woman stood up and confronted the man. She slapped him twice—once inside the coach and again on the platform after they both alighted at the same station.

• The Background: Metro security later informed the victim that the man had been riding the metro continuously for nearly an hour while intoxicated, suggesting he was loitering to target passengers.

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Key Figures: Namma Metro Safety & Legal Actions (2025)

Police Response Sparks Outrage

The woman expressed deep frustration over the advice she received from the officers at the Upparpet Police Station. According to her statement, the police suggested that in the future, she should simply “get up and move away” if she sensed danger.

“Firstly, how would I know that someone sitting next to me is a person like this? Should I ask every man I meet, ‘Are you a predator?'”

The registration of an NCR (Non-Cognisable Report) instead of an FIR has also been criticized. Under an NCR, police cannot arrest an individual or start an investigation without a magistrate’s order, which many feel is a lenient response for a physical harassment case.

Safety Measures in Namma Metro (2025)

Following a surge in reported harassment and voyeurism cases in mid-2025, the BMRCL has implemented several measures:

• Women Security Guards: Deployed on trains running beyond 10 PM.

• Pepper Spray: Women are now officially allowed to carry pepper spray for self-defense.

• Chennamma Squad: Specialized women police teams deployed at crowded stations like Majestic and MG Road.

Conclusion

The incident highlights the gap between security presence and actual protection for women commuters. While Bengaluru Police have launched “Celebrate Responsibly” safety drives for the 2026 New Year, survivors of harassment continue to call for more empathetic legal processing and proactive surveillance inside coaches.

Disclaimer: This report is based on the victim’s statement and initial police records from December 2025. Investigations into non-cognisable reports depend on further judicial directions.

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