It was about 4.15 pm on Friday, 18th January, and 23-year-old Sunita (name changed) had just returned to her apartment in Chinnappanahalli, Bengaluru.
She was relaxing in her bedroom when she heard an unusually loud noise. Wondering what had happened, she rushed to her living room.
The day would prove to be a nightmare for Sunita.
A man had managed to break open the main door of Sunita’s house and had barged in. When she confronted him, the situation took an extremely unfortunate turn.
As reported by The News Minute, Sunita’s police complaint stated, “He said he had a gun and he threatened to shoot me if I screamed. He then came on to me, and I tried to stop him. He was squeezing my throat, and he slapped me. He continued to slap and punch me. He sexually assaulted me.”
A horrific incident like this often leaves a person in a catatonic state, where they are unable to fight back. But not Sunita.
Even as the man, who was later identified as Arun, was sexually assaulting her, she kept fighting back and was eventually able to grab a hammer lying on a chair.
She began to repeatedly strike Arun with the hammer, forcing him to stop the assault. Hearing her screams, her neighbours rushed to her aid, but in the ensuing commotion, Arun managed to escape from the house.
You may also like: ‘Give Dignity to Rape Victims’: SC Bars Media from Revealing Names, Even After Death
The neighbours took Sunita to a nearby hospital where she was treated for her injuries. From there, they went to the HAL Police station to file a complaint.
Speaking to The Hindu, a police officer said, “She sustained injuries on her neck and face as the man slapped her repeatedly.” He added that
“She told us that he called himself Arun. We suspect that he had been stalking her for many days.”
Although Sunita said that she had not seen the man before he broke into her house, she could describe him in detail since he had not covered his face. Her descriptions of his age, facial features and name have helped the police zero in on suspects.
The Bengaluru police are now scanning CCTV footages in search of the molester and have registered an FIR under the sections 354B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 367 (punishment for rape), 323 (assault) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)
Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
If you found our stories insightful, informative, or even just enjoyable, we invite you to consider making a voluntary payment to support the work we do at The Better India. Your contribution helps us continue producing quality content that educates, inspires, and drives positive change.
Choose one of the payment options below for your contribution-
By paying for the stories you value, you directly contribute to sustaining our efforts focused on making a difference in the world. Together, let's ensure that impactful stories continue to be told and shared, enriching lives and communities alike.
Thank you for your support. Here are some frequently asked questions you might find helpful to know why you are contributing?