Bangalore police detain six men over New Year’s Eve 'mass molestation'

Police in Bangalore say they have detained at least six suspects over an alleged “mass molestation” in the south Indian city on New Year’s Eve, as the release of CCTV footage from the night fanned outrage.

An estimated 60,000 people gathered on two major roads in the centre of the city on Saturday to celebrate the new year. Witnesses and local media reports said the crowd turned unruly and a number of women were sexually assaulted or harassed.

Law enforcement officials in Bangalore initially said no complaints were filed on the night and asked possible victims to come forward. But on Wednesday police officer Hemant Nimbalkar said at least six men had been detained after several video clips of women being attacked by groups of men went viral on social media.

Earlier in the day, the city police commissioner, Praveen Sood, said officers had seen images from 45 CCTV cameras and had enough evidence to begin an investigation.

“As promised we have found credible evidence, repeat credible evidence, in a case of wrongful confinement, molestation and attempt to rob,” Sood tweeted.

He said officers would investigate the case “silently”, after days of intense scrutiny of the police’s handling of the crowd, and criticism of the initial reaction by officials in the state.

Indian’s National Commission for Women on Tuesday sought the resignation of G Parameshwara, the home minister for Karnataka state, for his claims that incidents such as the alleged mass sexual assault “do happen” and were the fault of young people acting and dressing “like westerners”.

“Such remarks from the home minister [are] unacceptable and regrettable,” the head of the commission, Lalitha Kumaramangalam, said. “I want to ask this minister, are Indian men so pathetic and weak that when they see a woman in western clothes on a day of revelry, they get out of control?”

Parameshwara has said his remarks were misinterpreted and he had always “stressed on the protection of women and children”.

Outrage over the alleged attacks grew on Wednesday after the Times of India published CCTV footage showing a woman being attacked by two men on a motorcycle, who appeared to try to wrestle her on to the bike, before throwing her to the ground.

The incident occurred about 2.30am on Sunday morning in an alley several kilometres from the central Bangalore streets where the mass molestation allegedly took place, the newspaper said.

Another victim of a sexual assault on the night, Chaitali Wasnik, told the Guardian she had been trying to find a taxi on a crowded street when two suspicious men started walking towards her.

“Out of nowhere one of the guys tried to grope me,” she said. “I went blank, totally blank. Like I couldn’t understand what had happened.

“I attacked him back and he started panicking. He didn’t expect I would fight back. I started punching him and kicking him, whatever I could do at the time.

“Fifteen to 20 men started pulling me back, so I wouldn’t hit him anymore. And so he took his chance and slid away.”

The violence in Bangalore has received extensive coverage in the Indian media and triggered another round of national soul-searching, the latest since a notorious 2012 gang-rape and murder of a Delhi student shone a spotlight on sexual violence in India.

Indian Olympian Krishna Poonia said she had prevented an attack in Rajasthan’s Churu district on New Year’s Day, telling the BBC that she intervened when she saw thee men trying to molest two teenage girls.

“I chased and caught one of them, and then helped the girls file a complaint,” the discus thrower said. “I was shocked and horrified … Nobody did anything until I got out of the car and chased them myself.”

Aamir Khan, one of India’s most popular actors, was among those to voice their disgust at the recent incidents, saying Indians were “saddened and feel ashamed when something like this happens in our country”.