The security guard allegedly exhibited inappropriate behaviour towards a woman passenger at the Jalahalli Metro Station on 17 March.
Namma Metro new line fully operational. (Supplied)
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on Wednesday, 20 March, suspended a security guard for inappropriate behaviour with a woman passenger waiting for a train at the Jalahalli Metro Station on 17 March.
Though the incident occurred on Sunday, it came to light after a complaint filed by the woman with the Bengaluru metro officials was shared on X.
Taking note of the social media post, the Bengaluru City Police said the complaint was forwarded to the concerned police officers for necessary action and urged the public to dial 112 in case of distress or emergency.
The Bengaluru Northeast Division police have taken up the complaint and are investigating it further.
The woman’s complaint said the metro staff exhibited inappropriate gestures, including touching his private parts while standing on the opposite side of the platform.
“Around 2:30 pm today (17 March), I experienced someone constantly staring at me and making certain gestures,” she said in her complaint.
She further said that she questioned him but he continued to keep staring at her and making obscene gestures.
He turned aside after she started videographing him, the woman stated in her complaint. In her email to the concerned authorities with the video of the incident, the woman expressed feeling unsafe and demanded action against the staff member.
In response to the complaint, the officials said the security guard was suspended pending a detailed investigation.
“Any action detrimental to the safety and security of women passengers. BMRCL has a zero-tolerance policy”, BMRCL’s spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday.
This is not a lone case as there have been recent cases of sexual harassment, including cases involving female staff members and a metro officer.
Two women working as security guards at the Rajajinagar and Yeshwantpur metro stations had accused an Assistant Divisional Officer of the metro station of sexual harassment.
Assistant Divisional Officer of Sandalwood Soap Factory Metro Station Gajendra P allegedly used to sexually harass the women — calling them to his office and touching them inappropriately.
Despite the women complaining to senior officials at the BMRCL about Gajendra touching their hands and swearing obscenely at them, no action was taken against him.
Subsequently, with the help of the Karnataka Rajya Karmika Parishad, a complaint was lodged at the Subramanya Nagar police station. An FIR was registered based on the complaint, police sources told South First.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
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