Bengaluru: Nitin, Nawaz, Sanath, George, Sanjay and Bishop, six college students from highly families, were arrested by the Yeshwantapur police on Sunday on charges of making obscene gestures and lewd remarks at a national-level woman swimmer in Mathikere. They reside on the same street as the victim.

“We have booked the six under IPC Sections 34 (assault or criminal force against woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) based on a complaint filed by the victim. We have arrested the six and are interrogating them,” a top police officer has told a local daily.

The incident occurred in the wee hours of Sunday at JP Park in Brindavan Nagar in Mattikere when the victim was returning home. The six youth had gathered at Nitin’s house, which is opposite the victim’s residence.

They noticed the woman swimmer alighting from an autorickshaw around 1.30 am. She had gone to attend the birthday of her coach at his house and had hired the autorickshaw to return home, said the police.

The suspects started laughing at her in an attempt to attract her attention. In a high pitch they cried: “Hey Baby How are you?” The victim looked back and took objection to their behavior.

This led to heated arguments. She warned them against such acts in future.?A few local residents came out of their houses after they heard some commotion and pacified the woman and the six youths.?The victim’s mother was present at the spot when the incident took place, said the police.

After receiving an oral complaint by the victim, the police rushed to the spot and secured the suspects for  questioning.?The suspects claimed that they never indulged in any obscene act.

They claimed that it was the swimmer who started the altercation and abused them in a filthy language. The police set them free, added the police. After being convinced by the police, the victim lodged a complaint later and subsequently the six were arrested.