Bengaluru trader arrested for manhandling Dutch YouTuber at ’Chor Bazar’

Mangalore Today News Network / NDTV

Bengaluru, June 13, 2023: The Bengaluru Police today arrested a trader at the capital city’s weekly ’thief market’ (Chor Bazaar) for misbehaving with a foreign national two months back.

YouTuber Pedro Mota, a Dutch citizen who has been traveling across India, was manhandled by a local trader near Chickpet in Bengaluru while shooting a video blog.

 

A video, which surfaced yesterday and was released by the Bengaluru police, which was shot on Pedro Mota’s recording device, shows the YouTuber smiling while shooting a selfie video in the market when a man objects to his recording and grabs his hand. The Dutch man can be seen repeatedly requesting him to let go. He frees himself within a few seconds and rushes away from the spot.

 

Pertaining to this, action has been taken and the concerned person rounded up. Strict action will be taken against him. No such misbehaviour with foreign tourists will be tolerated. https://t.co/EsrOvP4gZ7

— ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ನಗರ ಪೊಲೀಸ್‌ BengaluruCityPolice (@BlrCityPolice) June 12, 2023

According to Karnataka police sources, the incident took place two months ago and the vlogger has left the country since then.

Police have arrested the trader, identified as Navab Hayath Sharif, and filed a case against him under Section 92 of the Karnataka Police Act, which prescribes punishment for "certain street offences and nuisance."

"Pertaining to this, action has been taken, and the concerned person rounded up. Strict action will be taken against him. No such misbehavior with foreign tourists will be tolerated," the Bengaluru Police said in a tweet in response to a post with videos that purportedly showed the blogger being harassed.

Earlier, in December 2022, a YouTuber from South Korea was allegedly harassed by two men on a street in Mumbai while she was live-streaming. The video of the incident went viral, and Mumbai Police arrested two men in this connection.

Pedro Mota uploaded the video on his YouTube channel with the title "Attacked At The Thieves Market In India".

"Foreigner traveling in India experiences the thieves market in Bangalore, also known as the sunday market or chor bazaar. But exploring the area started out on the wrong foot as an angry man attacked me by grabbing and twisting my hand and arm, lunging after me as I tried to escape. After I had some street food, met great local Indian people and haggled for a new buttoned shirt," he wrote in the description.