In a shocking incident, a family on tour was attacked, molested, robbed and almost killed by a group of men after they objected to the sexual harassment of one of their female family members at Nashik’s Igatpuri ton.
Reports say the family was chased and assaulted for nearly 15 kilometres and that their car was damaged.
The incident occurred at the Bhavli da and waterfall section of Igatpuri on Sunday. The victims said that a group of men at the site whistled at and sexually harassed Poonam Kiran Bhagwat, 44, who is a member of the Bhagwat family.
When the woman’s husband, Kiran Ramchandra Bhagwat, confronted the accused about their behaviour, the situation escalated into violence.
The men reportedly called their accomplices. the accused then snatched their cellphones, wielded wooden sticks and iron rods to assault them and damaged their car before the family sped away in it. The accused chased their car with their white Baleno car (MH 46 BE 3721) and a Hero motorcycle (MH 15 KA 4502) for approximately 10 to 15 kilometres and tried to attack them at different points along the way, the victims told IANS.
The men also allegedly molested the victim at one point.
A Samsung S24 mobile phone and a gold chain were stolen in the incident.
The accused called in their other friends and assaulted and threatened her husband. The family then left in their car, but the accused followed them in a white Baleno car (MH 46 BE 3721) and a Hero motorcycle (MH 15 KA 4502).”
A case was registered in Nashik based on the complaint from the victim. The police also said that raids are underway by a joint team of the Nashik city and rural police to nab the accused who are absconding.
