A woman out on her regular morning walk was molested on a public street in Khatauli town of Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh. An unidentified predator approached the woman from behind and suddenly grabbed her on the road. Showing immense presence of mind and courage, the victim fought back fiercely, prompting the attacker to release his hold and flee into the pre-dawn darkness. The entire ordeal was captured on a nearby CCTV camera, sparking widespread concern over public safety during early morning hours.
Early Morning Ambush in Khatauli Neighborhood
The distressing incident took place on the morning of Tuesday, 15 September, when the local resident stepped out for her routine morning walk. While she was walking along the quiet road, an unidentified man trailed her and suddenly pinned her down with malicious intent. Caught off guard by the abrupt assault, the woman did not back down and put up strong physical resistance against the assailant. Rattled by her fierce reaction and the fear of raising an alarm, the perpetrator let go of her and quickly bolted away, taking advantage of the surrounding darkness to vanish into the alleys.
Social Media Video Prompts Prompt Police Action
The brazen attack came to light after the surveillance footage recorded by a nearby camera began circulating on social media platforms. As the recording gained traction online and triggered outrage among local residents, the Khatauli police intervened. Officers promptly reached out to the victim to record her statement and formally registered a criminal case against the unidentified perpetrator based on her written complaint. Law enforcement teams are actively reviewing recordings from neighboring security setups to track the route taken by the suspect during his escape.
Circle Officer Confirms Manhunt Underway
Providing details on the ongoing investigation, Khatauli Circle Officer Rupali Rao stated that information regarding the molestation of a woman during her morning walk on Tuesday morning was received by the police. She noted that after taking cognisance of the viral video clip, police officials contacted the victim, obtained a formal complaint from her, and lodged an FIR against the accused. According to the Circle Officer, dedicated police squads have been formed to track down the fleeing suspect, and swift punitive action will follow once his identity is confirmed through the CCTV evidence and other technical inputs.
Recent Similar Crime in Kanpur Underlines Concern
Safety of women on public streets and institutional spaces remains a persistent concern across the state. In a separate shocking incident reported recently from Kanpur, a private school principal was arrested for molesting innocent young girls at a coaching facility. In that case, the accused educator had exploited coaching classes as a cover to target vulnerable students. The latest brazen assault in Khatauli has once again highlighted the urgent need for intensified police patrolling on public routes during dawn and dusk hours.
