Bengaluru: A harmless “hi” message on WhatsApp turned into a disturbing case of online sexual harassment for a woman accountant in south Bengaluru after an unknown man repeatedly made video calls and exposed himself.The incident is one of two similar cases reported in the city within a fortnight.According to a complaint filed by Shalini (name changed), who works at a consultancy firm, she received a WhatsApp message saying “hi” from mobile number 9363284006 around 1.49am on July 29 while she was asleep at home.Initially, she ignored the message and did not respond as it had come from an unknown number. However, she was shocked when video calls were made from the number over the next two days while she was working.As she answered the video calls, the caller allegedly exposed his private parts and performed obscene acts on camera. Shalini told police that the incident left her mentally shaken, frightened, and humiliated.She took screenshots during the video call before approaching Basavanagudi police who registered a case.A similar incident was reported on July 14, when an 18-year-old girl was allegedly subjected to obscene online harassment after an unidentified man used a fake parcel delivery story to lure her into answering a WhatsApp video call before sending an explicit photograph and abusive voice messages.According to her complaint, the accused first sent a WhatsApp message saying “hi” from mobile number 8197582852 before repeatedly attempting to make video calls. When the girl did not answer, he left a voice message claiming that a parcel had arrived and asked her to make a video call to verify whether it belonged to her.As she had not ordered any parcel, she refused and warned him against repeatedly calling her.The harassment escalated when the accused allegedly sent an obscene photograph of his private parts and followed it up with abusive and vulgar voice messages. He later deleted the explicit image, but not before the victim had seen it.The second case is also registered at Basavanagudi police station. Both cases are under investigation.
