MP molestation shocker: 15 held so far; probe on, says NCW

New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) The National Commission for Women (NCW) informed on Wednesday that 15 people have been arrested so far in connection with the molestation of two tribal women at a village in Madhya Pradesh's Alirajpur district.

"Fifteen people have been arrested by the police. The case is under investigation," the NCW said.

The shocking incident came to light on March 13 after a video surfaced on social media, showing two women, standing beside a vehicle on a busy road in Alirajpur, nearly 400 km away from Bhopal, being sexually assaulted by a group of men in broad daylight, while some others were seen capturing the incident on their mobile phones.

The NCW said that it has received an interim report from the Madhya Pradesh police in the matter.

"According to the report, an FIR has been registered in the matter," it said.

After verifying the viral video, the local police said the incident occurred during a popular tribal festival.

The clip shows one of the women appearing to hide behind a vehicle parked on the roadside when a man grabbed and assaulted her. While she was rescued by a passerby, who pulled the man away, another man could be seen grabbing another woman standing on the same spot and molesting her.

The NCW had taken cognizance of the matter, with its chairperson Rekha Sharma writing to Madhya Pradesh DGP Sudhir Saxena to immediately register an FIR against all the accused.