.jpg?width=1200)
A video of nearly 10 young men in two cars harassing two girls who were returning late at night after watching a movie in Uttarakhand's Haldwani is going viral on social media. According to reports, the incident occurred near Sacred Heart School on Mukhani Road.
In the viral video, two cars are visible. In one white car, a young man is seen sitting at the car door and is allegedly shouting vulgar comments loudly.
One of the victims, Prachi Joshi, shared the video and recounted the incident. She explained, "We were on our way back from a movie when two cars with 10 men attempted to block our path. This continued for about 25 minutes."
She provided further details: "The black Scorpio in front of us tried to obstruct us by opening its doors, while the white Nios i20 (UK-04-AK-1928) behind us prevented our escape. Although we managed to evade them the first time, they completely blocked us the second time. Fortunately, a scooter rider appeared, allowing us to get away."
After the video surfaced on social media, police took swift action against the miscreants. According to reports, police arrested five youths.
They have been charged under various sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sahinta (BNS) 2023, including Section 126 for obstructing someone's path without consent, Section 78 for stalking and harassing a woman, Section 79 for outraging a woman's modesty, and Section 3(5) for committing an offense as part of a group.
The victim has criticised the Uttarakhand Police for their failure to ensure women's safety in her post.
"Is this how peace and security are being maintained in the city? Why is hooliganism on the rise?" Ms. Joshi questioned, urging the police to take strict action against the men in the video.
The unsettling video was shared just hours before President Droupadi Murmu made an emotional appeal to the nation to ensure the safety and security of women.
