Notice to BPO for transport rule flout

Bangalore, Oct. 7: The Bangalore call centre that employs a young executive who was raped on Saturday night will be issued a notice for not providing transport although her shift ended late in the evening, police said today.

Companies in Karnataka are required to provide a drop to women employees if their shift ends after 8pm. The 22-year-old was at the bus stop near her office in Electronics City at 10pm.

"We will issue notice to the company and ask the labour department to take action," police commissioner N.S. Megharikh said.

The BPO firm, which has just 15 employees, has not been named to protect the identity of the woman.

Ashok Pamidi, the regional head of Nasscom, said according to the Karnataka Shops and Establishment Act, women are to be transported in company vehicles if they work between 8pm and 6am.

After waiting for a bus for over half an hour, the 22-year-old had boarded a private van illegally ferrying passengers on the route. The van had no passengers at the time.

The crew offered to drop her at Madiwala in southeast Bangalore, where she lives as a paying guest, but drove to an isolated spot and allegedly assaulted her at knifepoint.

Since the incident, the transport department has seized several private vehicles ferrying passengers without permits.

Police yesterday arrested Sunil, 23, and Yogesh, 27, both drivers, for the rape. A city court today sent them to 14 days' police custody.