Due to the pandemic, most people are choosing to work out in public parks. Actor Samyuktha Hegde was doing the same in Bengaluru when she was harassed by a woman for wearing ‘inappropriate’ attire.
The actor shared a video of the woman charging towards her friend, in order to harm her. She also took to Instagram and Twitter to explain what exactly happened. Visibly traumatised, the actor can be seen being heckled on camera.
The future of our country reflects on what we do today. We were abused and ridiculed by Kavitha Reddy at Agara Lake@BlrCityPolice @CPBlr
— Samyuktha Hegde (@SamyukthaHegde) September 4, 2020
There are witnesses and more video evidence
I request you to look into this#thisisWRONG
Our side of the storyhttps://t.co/xZik1HDYSs pic.twitter.com/MZ8F6CKqjw
It’s high time we questioned such behaviour where people play moral police and torture them without reason. And we hear of such incidents so often. This has got to stop.
-Samyuktha Hegde
In the video, the actor shares that she was working out in her sports attire, with a hollahoop when a woman started hurling abuses at her and her friends. Samyuktha has stated that the woman in the video is Congress leader Kavitha Reddy.
Are you cabaret dancers? What sort of clothes are you wearing? If you wear such clothes and something happens to you the next time, don’t come crying to anyone.
-Kavitha Reddy
In the video, Samyuktha also stated that she was being called a drug addict and the woman was joined by over 10 boys who also began abusing her. They even threatened the actor by saying they would book her in the drug scandal and threatened to physically her friends and her.
However, Kavitha Reddy has gone on record to say that the complaint against the women was that they were playing music.
Since the last three to four days, these women have been playing music and dancing, which is not allowed. Several regulars have told them not to do that. Yesterday, the guard told me that he was being yelled at by the public and asked me to come. I told them to not play music and dance. If I have to allow them then other people will be emboldened to come with speakers and play loud music.
-Kavitha Reddy
But in the video, Kavitha cannot be seen talking about the music, and only goes on to complain about the outfits the women are wearing.
Twitter too is enraged by the way the actor was tweeted and has stood up in support.
What happened to Samyuktha Hegde is absolutely terrifying. If they could do that to a public figure the rest of us have no hope.
— no (@anooosher) September 4, 2020
Very poor conduct shown by @BlrCityPolice with regard to the incident today that happened with @SamyukthaHegde.
— Surekha Rao (@surerao) September 4, 2020
Actress @SamyukthaHegde harassed in Bangalore for wearing sports bra in public. There is no law which dictates us what we should and we should not wear, so don’t be afraid to fight back such goons who try to shame you for your choice of clothes. https://t.co/bcUKsfBSRA
— Khyati Shree (@KhyatiShree_) September 5, 2020
Just watched the most atrocious video of @SamyukthaHegde being harassed in a park for wearing a sports bra & hoola-hooping in a park by a bunch of men & a LADY. @BlrCityPolice The video was imaginably scary, sad & torturous. It’s so heartbreaking to watch women go through this.
— Shivani🦋 (@scratchguarded) September 4, 2020
Samyuktha shared that only one cop – an inspector at the HSR police station Muni Reddy Read took her side. The actor and her friends did not receive any acknowledgement for the complaint they filed.