Harassment Incident in Indore – Need Awareness & Solutions

I'm posting this to spread awareness and seek advice regarding a horrifying incident that happened with my female friend today in Indore.

She was returning from her hometown (Khargone) to her PG in Kesar Bagh. Her bus dropped her off at Choithram, where she took a CNG auto since it was the only one available at that time. Instead of taking the usual route, the auto driver diverted to a secluded area, stopped the auto, and locked one of the gates. He then came from the open side, threw her bag out, and started harassing her—teasing and touching her inappropriately.

Terrified, she screamed and somehow managed to escape, grab her bag, and immediately book a Rapido to reach her PG. She was in such shock that she couldn’t even note down the auto’s number. She reached her PG and broke down in tears.

This incident is deeply disturbing, and I believe it’s important to raise awareness about such dangers in our city. How can we ensure the safety of women traveling alone at night? What can be done in such situations, especially when there’s no vehicle number noted? Should we report this to the police, and if so, how can they track down such cases?

If anyone has any suggestions or has faced a similar situation, please share your thoughts. Also, if anyone knows any legal steps she can take, it would be really helpful.