Man arrested in Kanpur for harassing female students on their way home

A 20-year-old man was arrested in Kanpur Dehat on Friday night for allegedly harassing female students returning from a sports stadium, police said. The incident occurred on Maati Road near Maharashtra Bank in the Akbarpur police station area around 10:30 pm during a routine patrol and Mission Shakti campaign.

According to police, Mohammad Aman, a resident of Amaraudha in Bhognipur police station area, was making obscene gestures, singing songs, and passing objectionable comments at students who were cycling back from Maati Stadium to Akbarpur. The Akbarpur police team spotted him during their patrol and immediately apprehended him on the spot.

Earlier in the evening, another version of events emerged when a woman travelling on a scooter witnessed the youth allegedly harassing girls on district headquarters road. She chased down the auto-rickshaw he was travelling in and forced it to stop. Women and students present at the scene pulled the youth out of the vehicle and reprimanded him. For several minutes, he was reportedly seen apologizing and even doing sit-ups as punishment before police arrived. The accused claimed he was merely spitting paan masala by the roadside and denied any wrongdoing, but the women maintained their allegations of obscene behaviour.

Police have registered a case against Aman under Section 296(B) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and conducted videography of the arrest while following necessary legal procedures. The incident has raised fresh concerns about the safety of female students in the area, with locals demanding stricter vigilance and swift action against street harassment. Authorities have assured that similar patrols will continue to ensure women's safety in the district.