Over 35 Anganwadi Workers in Bharuch Harassed with Obscene Video Calls

Bharuch: A disturbing case of cyber harassment has surfaced in Bharuch district, where over the past 10 days, more than 35 women working as Anganwadi workers have reportedly received sexually explicit video calls featuring pornographic content.

The repeated and unsolicited calls, allegedly originating from a single phone number, have left the women mentally distressed, sleepless, and emotionally exhausted. The harassment has also begun to strain personal relationships at home, causing friction and mistrust within families.

The targeted calls have been made to Anganwadi workers across Bharuch, Netrang, and Jhagadiya talukas. Disturbed by the continuous harassment, a group of affected women lodged a formal complaint with the Bharuch Cyber Crime Police on Thursday.

Ragini Parmar, state vice-president of the Gujarat Anganwadi Karmachari Sangathan, told media that the workers were issued mobile phones and SIM cards under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme. “Although many no longer use the official phones, they continue to use the same SIM cards in their personal devices. These are the numbers now receiving obscene video calls, often around midnight and typically from the same number,” she said.

Preliminary investigation by the cybercrime cell has traced the caller’s number to Punjab. Authorities have initiated the process of obtaining the Subscriber Details Record (SDR) from the concerned telecom operator, said officials.

Several workers have already blocked the number, which was also shared across various Anganwadi WhatsApp groups. “We have scanned multiple platforms to check if the number is linked to any social media or digital forums, but nothing has emerged so far. The caller appears to be targeting one woman after another. We are also probing whether someone familiar with the victims is involved,” said an investigating officer.

Police have assured the women that swift action will be taken to identify and apprehend the person behind the harassment. DeshGujarat