Bengaluru home guard under probe for helping molestation accused evade arrest: Report

A home guard posted at Bengaluru's Bellandur police station is under investigation for allegedly aiding her friend, who is accused of molesting a young woman in southeast Bengaluru earlier this month, reported The Times of India. The incident drew widespread attention after CCTV footage of the assault surfaced online.

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The assault reportedly took place around 1:55 am on April 3 in Suddaguntepalya, near BTM Layout. The video, which quickly went viral, showed a man trailing two women walking on the street before suddenly grabbing and harassing one of them. The man fled the scene when the victim cried out for help.

The accused, identified as 29-year-old Santosh Daniel, works as a driver at a Jaguar showroom in the city. Bengaluru police filed a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita — 74 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 75 (sexual harassment), and 78 (stalking).

Investigators reviewed footage from nearly 700 CCTV cameras across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala before finally tracking down and arresting Santosh in Kerala on April 13.

Home guard under scanner

According to the report, what has now emerged is that a female home guard, a single mother in her 30s and a long-time friend of the accused, allegedly helped him escape the police dragnet. According to officials, she identified Santosh in news reports and promptly alerted him. She is believed to have advised him to discard his phone and SIM card to avoid being tracked and handed him a new SIM registered in her own name.

She also gave him ₹10,000 in cash to assist with his escape. The two reportedly fled to Kerala together soon after.

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The woman is currently being questioned but has not been formally arrested. She has told police she acted out of belief in Santosh’s innocence. Both she and Santosh hail from Gulbarga Colony in Tilaknagar and are said to share a close friendship.

Santosh is now in police custody for two days as investigations continue into the assault and the alleged attempt to derail the probe.