The Noida Police have taken urgent legal action against a group of miscreants who allegedly harassed a group of women on the Parthala Signature Bridge late Sunday night. The recorded incident is one case highlighting the broader problem of "road-side Romeoism" in city districts.
The police department said a group of women were in a car, passing over the Parthala Bridge, a landmark project linking Noida and Greater Noida, when a group of youths intercepted them in another car.
The Incident: Harassment on the Move
The men who followed the victims in the car as they moved across traffic started tailing them, the victims said, driving dangerously to get attention. The men started to make lewd gestures to the women and shout lewd comments at them, which led the matter to get out of hand and become noisier. The accused blowing “flying kisses” and using vulgar language as witnesses and viral footage suggest, made it a threatening environment for the female commuters.
The women, stunningly brave in their bravery, managed to capture the spectacle on a cell phone, capturing the car’s registration number, the faces of the harassers and then informed the authorities.
Rapid Police Intervention and arrests
The instant the video surfaced on social media sites such as X (formerly referred to as Twitter) and Instagram, the Noida Police assumed suo-moto cognizance. Multiple units were employed using the Integrated Security and Traffic Management System (ISTMS) cameras installed in the whole city as directions of the Senior Superintendent of Police to monitor the vehicle. By Monday morning, two prime suspects were arrested.
Police Imposed Car
Police have impounded the car that was used in the crime. Offences: The accused have been booked under various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including stalking, outraging the modesty of a woman as well as dangerous driving.
Fear and Safety: Public Outrage
The Parthala Bridge is one of the busiest and well-lit parts of Noida, which makes the brazenness of the attack all the more frightening. Residents have complained that police need to patrol the flyovers and bridges more during late-night hours. “If women are not safe on a landmark bridge with high-tech surveillance, where are they safe?” questioned a local activist group.
“We appreciate the police for coming in fast to arrest people quickly, but we need a longer, permanent solution, which is sustainable, long-term to prevent such hooliganism.” Noida Police have also reaffirmed their strong support for women’s safety and encouraged citizens to call the emergency helpline, using the “112” emergency hotline as soon as they face a similar incident. They have also asked the public not to engage directly with such harassers, but to document evidence and report it to the nearest PCR van.
