Kochi | A case has been registered against a Navi Mumbai resident for allegedly sexually harassing a foreign woman who had arrived here to attend the Kochi-Muziris Biennale art event, police said on Monday.
According to police, the case was registered against Sumit Katare following a complaint lodged by a woman from Taiwan, who was in Kochi last month to attend the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.
Police said the case was registered after the woman submitted a complaint via email after returning from India.
As per the FIR registered on February 7, the complainant befriended the accused outside Pepper House in Fort Kochi, a venue of the art event, on January 18.
Though Katare invited her to consume alcohol, she refused, the FIR said.
Later, on January 19, Katare approached the complainant near the Fort Kochi backwater area and accompanied her on a boat trip.
During the boat trip in the afternoon, the accused allegedly sexually harassed her by making physical contact, the FIR said.
In her complaint, the woman stated that after the boat trip, Katare forced her to travel in an autorickshaw, during which he continued his sexually intended misbehaviour at around 5 pm, police said.
When the victim refused to go with the accused, he allegedly followed her and sexually harassed her further, FIR said.
Fort Kochi Police have registered a case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for sexual harassment and stalking.
Police said the victim has provided the contact details of the accused, based on which efforts are being made to trace him.
They are also attempting to contact the victim, as her detailed statement needs to be recorded as part of the probe
