Daspur (West Midnapore), March 12: Beware of a woman trying to lure you into bed over the phone: she is likely to snap the connection just when you go weak in the knee.

That is what happened to at least half a dozen men, for once at the receiving end of a crank caller having fun.

Some of them called back with passionate frenzy. They were greeted by gruff hellos from public phone booths.

The police have launched a search for the woman, who had been titillating the men and hanging up the phone over the past few months.

From hush-hush enquiries about the woman around the booths, some of the victims came to know each other.

Her names changed from one call to another but police are convinced that it was one woman because of a common factor: the claim of being a geography student of Panskura College.

The woman knew the names and other personal details of the men. “I’ve not come across such harassment in my 20-year service life. She disconnects the moment the men want to go on a date,” said Biswajit Saha, the officer-in-charge of Daspur police station.

The embarrassment boot on their foot, most men have alleged harassment but refused to lodge complaints.

“The issue is delicate. We are baffled about how the girl got personal details of so many young men,” the police officer said.

The known victims are all unmarried and between 22 and 32. They include postgraduate students and businessmen.

The calls went from various places between Daspur and Panskura, 40km from away.

Businessman Sanatan Maity (name changed) said she called him up almost every day in February. “She had a very attractive voice. She asked if I’d like to be with her. Then she began to describe herself,” said Sanatan. “I became des-perate and pleaded with her to meet me.” That was the last time they spoke.

With Anirban Mondal (name changed), a student of Vidyasagar University, the woman used a pickup line men have made a cliché: “I’ve known you for a long time…”

Anirban said: “She described in detail how she’d treat me in bed and wanted my reaction. I wanted to meet her.”

Psychiatrists said the woman had a behaviour disorder. “It may be that she is not good looking. Maybe she does not want to face young men and derives pleasure teasing them,” said Ashish Mukhopadhyay, the head of the department of psychiatry at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital.

Physical abuse as a child might also result in the disorder, which needs medication and counselling.

If caught, the police said, the woman could be charged with sexual harassment and jailed for up to three years.