Viral video shows women on a bus in India fight back against harassers
A video has emerged of two sisters attacking men who allegedly sexually harassed them on a bus in Northern India. The women, Aarti and Pooja, can be seen to punch the men and hit them with belts claiming they made lewd comments and tried to touch them.
A passenger filmed the incident and it has since aired on several TV channels.
“One of the boys started touching my sister and making kissing gestures,” Aarti said, “I told him to go away or I would teach him a lesson. Then he called another boy saying that we have to beat up two girls. And then the other boy got on the bus.”
The sisters say no-one tried to help them. Since the attack police in the state of Haryana had arrested three men and are investigating the incident.
As the news of the women’s actions spread, Haryana’s chief minister, Manohar Lal Khatta, praised the two women and said they would be honoured during India’s republic day celebrations in next year.
The video has spread throughout social media with many people applauding the sister’s and criticising the passengers who failed to help them.
Sexual violence and harassment of women has been serious topic in India since the brutal gang rape of a young woman on a bus in Delhi in December 2012.
A string of protests occurred across the country as well as a global outcry; the anger pushed the government to change the law to introduce more stringent measures to deal with attacks against women.
