Molestor on Metro station tracked with travel token in Delhi

The complainant then took to social media website X, formerly Twitter, to share details of the incident

Police used details of a Metro travel token, an online payment method used to purchase a ticket, and CCTV footage to arrest a 23-year-old man who behaved obscenely with and sexually harassed a woman at the Mandi House Metro station in central Delhi on Monday, officers aware of the matter said on Thursday.

Police said that the suspect was standing on the platform opposite to the complainant and made obscene gestures at her. (HT Archive)

The complaint was filed after the woman, who was waiting at the opposite platform, alerted authorities about a man making obscene gestures and masturbating at the Metro station.

Deputy commissioner of police (Delhi Metro) Ram Gopal Naik said that the suspect, Shivam Sharma, works in the marketing department of a pharmaceutical company in Delhi. He has confessed to the crime, the officer added.

The incident took place at around 7am on Monday. A woman in her 20s, who was travelling from her Tughlaqabad residence, alighted from a train at Mandi House Metro station. She was waiting on platform 1 for a friend.

“As she stood there, Sharma, who was on platform 2, began making obscene gestures at her,” said Naik.

The woman rushed to a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officer posted at the station.

“By the time the CISF officer reached the spot, the suspect had left on a train,” said police.

The complainant then took to social media website X, formerly Twitter, to share details of the incident. Thereafter, the Metro police reached out to her and registered a case of “obscene gesture” and “committing an act to outrage the modesty of a woman” at the Pragati Maidan Metro police station.

“We scanned CCTV footage of the station and spotted the suspect. The survivor confirmed that it was the same person,” said the DCP.

Police said that Sharma had arrived at Tilak Bridge railway station by train from Aligarh. He then went to the Mandi House Metro station to catch a train to Uttam Nagar. “On realising that he was being reported, he fled by getting on the first train that arrived,” said DCP Naik.

Police said that Sharma got off at the Nangloi Metro station and was trying to exit when Metro officials told him that his travel fare was ₹10 more than what he paid.

“Sharma made the additional payment through his Unified Payments Interface (UPI) account,” Naik said.

He was captured on CCTV footage making the payment and was subsequently tracked down after police linked the payment to his mobile phone number.

Sharma was arrested from his home in outer Delhi’s Begampur on Thursday morning.

“He did not expect to get arrested. He thought he had escaped,” said the officer, adding that Sharma told police that he took advantage of the thin early morning crowd at the Metro station.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said that all necessary assistance was extended to police in its probe.

“DMRC views such issues with great seriousness...After receiving the complaint on social media, we immediately contacted the complainant and collected all necessary details. Through CCTV footage, the location of the person and his entry to the station was established...All details were shared with the police, who took prompt action and arrested the individual. DMRC premises are under CCTV surveillance and passengers are requested to conduct themselves responsibly while travelling.” said Anuj Dayal, principal executive director, corporate communications at DMRC.