Guwahati: A video showing a woman being followed and catcalled by three men while walking to a temple in Northeast India has gone viral, raising widespread concern about women’s safety in public spaces.
The woman, identified as Chiro, posted the footage on Instagram and described her experience. She said the men seemed to assume she did not understand Hindi and expressed frustration at being targeted because she looks “a little different.”
The video shows the men trailing Chiro, smiling, loudly singing a Bollywood song, and making gestures toward the camera. Despite being recorded, the harassment continued, and Chiro said she only felt safe when she paused and waited for friends to join her.
Some social media users accused Chiro of staging the video for attention. She clarified that her goal was to raise awareness about harassment, not seek publicity.
Chiro said that her calm demeanor and smiles in the video were coping mechanisms, and people should not expect her to cry on camera.
The clip has sparked a wave of reactions online. Many condemned the men’s audacity to harass a woman openly, while others praised Chiro’s courage in documenting the incident.
Users noted the normalization of harassment and the lack of accountability, calling for better education and moral awareness among men.
One viewer said the men’s lack of fear while being filmed shows a deeper societal problem, noting that women cannot freely navigate public spaces without facing harassment. Others appreciated Chiro for documenting the incident, showing how rare it is for women to record such situations due to safety concerns.