The policeman called me a nuisance, says Manipuri girl abused by crowd

Bangalore [CNN-IBN] Dec 07, 2012: In another case of Northeast Indians being targeted, a theatre person from Manipur alleged that she was heckled by a crowd in Bangalore, that passed lewd and racist comments and abused her. What is even more shocking is that the policeman who she turned to for help allegedly ended up shouting back and shoving her and called her a nuisance. Talking about the incident, the girl said, "I was getting really frightened by the crowd that was inching closer to me, so I wanted to sit inside the car till my friends arrive. The policeman refused to help me. I was opening the car door and he just banged the car door. He said I was a public nuisance, the police people are coming and will take me to the police station." She also said that there were almost 30 to 40 men who were harassing her. "The men, 30 to 40 men started doing the same thing. I didn't have a pen and a paper with me, I took a picture of the bike licence plate, so while I was taking the picture, these guys said, we will start taking off our clothes, will you take our pictures? I asked if they were daring me to do that? I said I will take your pictures. I started taking their pictures. They started escalating their sexual gestures and harassment," she said. She said the policeman helped her only after 10 minutes of pleading and he was laughing and watching the incident all through. "After 10 minutes of pleading, the policeman relented and made me sit inside the car. This young boy, must have been 14 or 15 came close to my car window and said he will take off his clothes in Kannada. I understand some Kannada even though I can't speak it. He started unbuttoning his shirt. The policeman was just watching and laughing, threatening me and telling me I'm a public nuisance and I'll get arrested," the victim said. She also said that the women of Northeast India faced more such situations. "For a woman who has the face of someone from the Northeast, we have this long list of historical stereotyping. All these elements have combined together and escalated into this manic crowd which engages in harassing and intimidating a woman who is different. When you are a woman and when you're from the Northeast, the discrimination level escalates to a very very different level," she said. The girl has now filed two FIRs, one against a motorcycle-rider who hit her car and another of physical assault, sexual intimidation and harassment against people from the crowd, including the traffic constable. The incident reportedly took place when a motorcycle hit her car.

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