Pregnant constable attacked with iron rod at Bengaluru railway station; accused held

A 28-year-old pregnant police constable was allegedly attacked with an iron rod at the Bengaluru City Railway Police Station by a man who was upset over a delay in registering his complaint about a stolen mobile phone, police said on Thursday, August 27.

The incident took place around 5.10 am on August 26 when the accused, identified as Ganjendra, approached constable Shilpa D and reported that his mobile phone, which he had left to charge on platform number five, had been stolen.

According to the FIR, Shilpa asked him to wait for the station officer. The man later returned to the station and, finding the constable alone, confronted her and allegedly threatened to kill her for not registering his complaint.

He then picked up an iron rod attached to a heavy barricade wheel and allegedly struck Shilpa on the head six or seven times before fleeing, the FIR said.

Shilpa raised an alarm, following which the station officer and another woman constable rushed to her aid. An assistant sub-inspector also chased the accused but could not immediately find him.

The constable was initially taken to Manipal Hospital for first aid and later shifted to Suguna Hospital in Rajajinagar for further treatment. She is out of danger, police said.

In a video message, Shilpa's brother Krishna Naik said she had been serving as a police constable since June 2, 2022. He said his sister was two months pregnant when the incident occurred and urged senior police officials to take immediate action.

Based on Shilpa's complaint, Bengaluru City Railway Police registered a case under Sections 109 (attempt to murder) and 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Police said Ganjendra has since been arrested and an investigation is underway.