A woman travelling in a private bus accused one of her co-passengers of molestation and ensured his arrest at Jawaharlal Nehru Road and Park Street crossing on Saturday morning.

The 52-year-old man was arrested from the spot after the woman raised the alarm and attracted the attention of police posted at the crossing.

Police officers said the woman, who worked at a private organisation, was getting off the bus at Park Street when the alleged incident happened.

“According to the woman, she was touched in an inappropriate manner while getting off the bus,” an officer of the traffic department said.

When the woman protested and started shouting, a traffic cop posted nearby, rushed to the spot and apprehended the accused. The man, who is a resident of Hooghly district, works as a peon in an organisation. Officers of the local Park Street police station were alerted and the man handed over to the police.

A case under section of outrage of modesty (354 of the Indian Penal Code) has been started. The charge, if proved before the court, could lead to a maximum punishment of five years of jail.

The woman had told the police that she was getting off at the Park Street junction to take the Metro.

Senior officers said it was a welcome change to see women mustering courage to protest against their perpetrators and drag them to the police.

Thousands of women — students, homemakers, working in offices and entrepreneurs — step out of their homes everyday across the city.

Police officers said, in majority of such incidents where women were harassed on the roads and in public transport, the victims either ignored such acts thinking of legal complications or avoid lodging a police case fearing social stigma attached to those who are sexually harassed.

Police commissioner Anuj Sharma had encouraged women to dial 100 to report any crime against them.