A woman in India is being applauded for refusing to accept being sexually assaulted while riding a bus in Kolkata, instead dragging her molester to a local police station and handing him into authorities. The Times of India reports that the unnamed victim was harassed and touched inappropriately by 30-year-old Sk Sontu on Thursday and she immediately sprung into action, calling police and ensuring the criminal didn’t get away.
Sontu, from Metiabruz, was arrested for the assault and was held in custody for five days before appearing in a Salt Lake court. According to authorities, the woman boarded the Barasat-Santragacchi bus outside the airport at roughly 6:30 p.m. and sat down. The bus continued to get busy and was at capacity by the time it reached Echo Park.
Soon after, Sontu stood in front of her and began making inappropriate comments. “She protested and sought support from other passengers and the conductor, but none allegedly backed her,” a police spokesman said. “When she tried to videography the accused, he allegedly attacked her and touched her inappropriately.”
The victim then dialed 100 to complain, and when the bus reached the next stop, she got the attention of traffic officers on the road. She then reportedly dragged the man out of the bus and told the officers what happened. Bidhannagar South police were alerted, the victim gave her statement, and Sontu was taken into custody.
While Kolkata was voted the safest city for women in 2021, crimes against women in India as a whole are still incredibly high. The victim’s refusal to let her assaulter get away with his actions and insistence on seeking justice is seen as inspirational and will hopefully discourage men from pulling this behavior in the first place. There’s still a long way to go in the country to ensure women’s safety, but this is a step in the right direction.
