A woman in Ahmedabad has filed a police complaint against her neighbour, alleging two years of relentless stalking, harassment, and intimidation. The complaint, registered at Vasna police station, accuses Ashok Rathore of persistently following and harassing the complainant, both in person and through CCTV surveillance.
According to the complaint, Sunita (name changed) who has been residing with her husband and two children in Vasna for the past 17 years, has been subjected to ongoing harassment by Rathore. The accused, a relative of her husband’s family, allegedly engaged in inappropriate behaviour, including standing outside his house in revealing clothing, making lewd gestures, and loitering outside her residence under false pretences.
Sunita stated that Rathore frequently followed her on his motorcycle when she went to pick up her child from a relative’s home. She refrained from reporting the matter earlier due to family ties and fear of social embarrassment. However, the situation escalated when Rathore allegedly began speaking loudly on his phone outside her house, using abusive language and attempting to provoke confrontations.
Four months ago, after informing her husband of the ongoing harassment, her mother-in-law reprimanded the accused, but the behaviour continued. Matters worsened when, three months ago, Rathore allegedly engaged in a heated argument with the complainant in front of her house, leading to a physical altercation with her husband. Rathore later filed a counter-complaint against her husband at Vasna police station, further complicating the dispute.
Sunita further alleged that Rathore installed a CCTV camera outside his house, directing it towards her home to monitor her activities. Despite initially removing the camera following police intervention, he reinstalled a new device within days. She claimed that he actively rotated the camera to track her movements whenever she stepped outside.
Family members, including her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, attempted to reason with the accused during the recent Uttarayan festival, but Rathore refused to cease his actions. The complainant has now demanded a legal inquiry into the matter, citing persistent stalking, psychological distress, and the accused’s deliberate attempts to provoke confrontations.
Authorities have launched an investigation under relevant sections of the law pertaining to stalking, harassment, and criminal intimidation.