A video showing a woman being harassed while walking alone to a temple has ignited widespread anger online, once again bringing the issue of women’s safety in public spaces into sharp focus.
The footage, shared on Instagram by Chiro, a woman from Northeast India, captures three men following her, making comments, singing loudly and gesturing at the camera as they trail her along the road.
Despite being filmed, the men continue their behaviour, appearing unbothered by the possibility of being identified.
In her post, Chiro said the men appeared to assume she did not understand Hindi and claimed she was being targeted because of her appearance.
She explained that the situation felt deeply unsettling and that she only felt secure after stopping and waiting for friends to arrive.
Addressing criticism from some users who accused her of staging the video for attention, she said the purpose of sharing the clip was to highlight what she experienced, not to seek publicity.
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She also clarified that her calm expression in the video should not be mistaken for indifference, saying people should not expect visible fear or tears for the incident to be taken seriously.
The clip has since triggered a wave of reactions across social media, with many users expressing outrage over the men’s conduct and concern over the normalisation of such harassment in public spaces.
Several commenters praised Chiro for recording the incident, calling it an act of courage, and questioned how such behaviour could occur so openly without fear of consequences.
The incident has renewed calls for stronger social accountability, better education on respect and consent, and more effective systems to ensure women’s safety in everyday public settings.
