Kolkata: A 23-year-old postgraduate student of Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) jumped out of a moving auto-rickshaw to escape an alleged molestation by its driver at Nimta in North Dum Dum on Friday night.According to police sources, the woman was sitting beside the driver while returning home when he allegedly began molesting her and repeatedly tried to touch her private parts despite her objections. Finding herself unable to escape, the student jumped from the moving auto, raised an alarm and got the accused driver arrested with the help of locals.The incident has sparked concern once again over the safety of women travelling alone at night.Sources said the RBU student, who stays at a mess in Satchashipara, Kashipur, regularly travels to Birati to teach tuition classes.According to local sources, the student, who was returning home after giving private tuition, was travelling in an auto-rickshaw near Birati Railway station towards Nimta’s Golbagan. As the rear seats were occupied, she sat on the seat beside the driver.According to her complaint, soon after the auto started moving, the driver allegedly began behaving inappropriately with her, repeatedly touching her with his elbow.“The situation worsened when the auto reached the Pathanpur area under Nimta police station. I warned the driver several times and asked him to stop his objectionable behaviour. However, he continued. Fearing for my safety and unable to tolerate the harassment any longer, I eventually jumped out of the moving auto,” the student said in her complaint.However, the young woman escaped unhurt and raised an alarm.Hearing her screams, local residents intervened and caught the driver, identified as Kalachand Mondal. They handed him over to the police. Nimta police subsequently arrested him. Mondal is a resident of the Rabindrapally Hatkhola area.Police produced the accused before a court on Saturday and took him into custody for further investigation.The RBU student said she has to travel by auto-rickshaw regularly and expressed concern that such incidents could make daily commuting unsafe for women.The incident has also left local residents concerned that the young woman could have suffered far more serious injuries while jumping from the moving vehicle. “ We have demanded exemplary punishment for the accused auto-rickshaw driver,” a local trader said.“The accused auto-rickshaw driver was arrested on the basis of a complaint lodged by the woman with Nimta police station and produced in a Barrackpore court. The further investigation is underway,” a senior police officer of the Barrackpore Commissionerate said.
