3 held by Delhi Police for harassing, groping Japanese woman on Holi

NEW DELHI: Three persons, including a juvenile, were apprehended after a video surfaced on social media showing a group of men allegedly harassing and groping a Japanese woman on Holi, police said on Saturday.

The video showed a group of men smearing colour on a foreigner, who seemed uncomfortable. It also showed one of the men smashing an egg on her head. She can be heard saying “bye bye” in the video.

According to the police, the video is of Holi (celebrated on March 8) and was shot in an area of Paharganj here.

The girl in the video is a Japanese tourist who was staying at Paharganj and departed to Bangladesh on Friday, they added.

The girl has not made any complaint, neither called Delhi Police nor her country’s embassy as confirmed by the embassy official in response to an e-mail, a senior police officer said.

Police on Friday had said they have taken the notice of the video and were verifying whether it is of a recent incident or an old one.

People seen in the video have been identified. Three persons, including one juvenile, have been apprehended and questioned. They have confessed their involvement in the incident as seen in the video. They all are residents of a nearby area of Paharganj, Deputy Commissioner of Police (central) Sanjay Kumar Sain said.

The girl tweeted from her Twitter handle that she has reached Bangladesh and was fit mentally and physically.

Police said action has been initiated against the accused under the Delhi Police Act. However, further legal action will be decided on merits and in accordance with the complaint by the girl, if any, they added.

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal had said she was issuing a notice to Delhi Police to examine the video and arrest the perpetrators.

“Very disturbing videos getting viral on social media showing sexual harassment with foreign nationals on Holi! I am issuing notice to Delhi Police to examine these videos and arrest the perpetrators! Completely shameful behaviour!” Maliwal tweeted on Friday.

The National Commission for Women too took the notice of the video and asked Delhi Police to register an FIR in the matter.

“@NCWIndia has taken cognizance. Chairperson @sharmarekha has written to @CPDelhi to immediately file FIR in the matter. NCW has also sought a fair and time-bound investigation in the matter. A detailed report must be apprised to the commission,” the NCW tweeted.