The alleged stalker was arrested within hours of the incident. (Representational)
In a shocking incident, a 22-year-old man carrying a gun allegedly sexually harassed a 21-year-old woman, fired in the air and tried to kill her in Maharashtra's Pune district, police said on Monday. The accused had put the gun to the head of the woman, pulled the trigger repeatedly, but it was a close escape for the woman after he misfired.
The video of the incident has gone viral on social media. The accused, identified as Akashy Dandwate, was arrested within hours of the incident, which occurred on Sunday evening in Alephata town, about 95 km away from Pune.
The accused knew the woman; they had studied in the same college at Manchar in the district.
According to police, he had been harassing the woman since they were studying together.
The woman is currently preparing for a competitive examination for recruitment in the state police force.
The incident occurred when the woman was riding a two-wheeler to her home, along with a friend, after attending the coaching class, a police officer said.
"When she reached at an intersection near Alephata, Dandwate stopped them and said he wanted to talk to the woman," said the officer.
"When the complainant refused to speak to him and tried to reach to her mother on her mobile phone, the accused threatened to kill himself as well as the woman. He then whipped out a country-made gun from his jacket and fired in the sky and also at the ground," he said.
The accused then put the gun to the head of the woman and pulled the trigger repeatedly, but fortunately the gun malfunctioned, the officer said.
"Meanwhile, the woman's brother-in-law reached the spot and tried to speak to the accused while people also started gathering. Seeing the crowd, the accused panicked and ran away," he said.
He was arrested on Sunday night and was charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act.