BENGALURU: Police were alarmed when they ran a background check on Mexican national Julian Heriberto, 37, arrested recently on charges of sexually assaulting an Israeli woman: He had a history of groping women and provoking policemen in Bengaluru.Investigating officers, who found police cases against Heriberto dating back to June 2015, have decided to communicate to the Mexican embassy about the repeat offender.Police have filed chargesheets against Heriberto in two cases — for swearing at a woman and assaulting two men who tried to help her and for attacking a police vehicle after creating a nuisance of himself in public. One case has reached the trial stage.Heriberto groped the Israeli national while she was praying at Chabad-Lubavitch of Bangalore, the Jewish prayer centre on Richmond Road where he had worked as a cook for six months, an investigating officer said. When the woman screamed in fright, a constable deployed near the hall rushed to her rescue.“Heriberto brandished a knife and warned constable Sampath Kumar against intervening, saying the woman was from his country,” the officer said. “With the help of a few onlookers, the constable overpowered Heriberto.”A police team soon arrived at the spot and arrested Heriberto. A magistrate later remanded him in Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara.After discovering Heriberto’s previous offences, senior officers decided that the issue was serious enough to oppose his bail petition. “We have his records and will use them to make a case against him if he applies for bail in court,” the officer said.On June 5, 2015, Kothanur police in north Bengaluru arrested Heriberto for abusing a woman and attacking two men who came to her defence.According to police records, Heriberto was standing outside his house and yelling at someone on the phone when his neighbour asked him to lower his voice. This angered Heriberto, who shouted at the woman and threatened her. When two men witnessing the commotion rushed to the woman’s help, Heriberto attacked them. In October 2017, Adugodi police in south Bengaluru arrested Heriberto for misbehaving with the public and damaging a police patrol vehicle.“Heriberto was drunk and abusing members of the public,” the FIR said. “Locals called the police control room and a Hoysala vehicle was pressed into service. Heriberto misbehaved with the policemen and smashed the vehicle’s flashlights.”City police commissioner T Suneel Kumar said he would consult officials from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office and order appropriate legal action against Heriberto.“We have to see what type of visa he has,” the commissioner said. “We will inform the Mexican embassy about the issue.”

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