Ruckus over goats in Mira Road society: Elderly woman files cross-complaint

A 63-year-old resident of a housing society in Mira Road has filed a complaint of molestation against a man who was previously booked for allegedly molesting a woman. The man has been charged with molestation and criminal intimidation. He claims to be targeted because of his political affiliations. The incident occurred when the man and his wife brought goats to the building for sacrifice on Bakri Eid. A heated exchange broke out between the couple and other residents, leading to the police being called.

More than 36 hours after police booked 11 residents of a housing society in Mira Road for allegedly molesting a woman and manhandling her husband who had brought goats to the building, a 63-year-old resident on Thursday filed a complaint of molestation against the man.

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Sandeep Kadam, senior police inspector at Kashimira police station, said based on the woman’s complaint a case was registered. “We will verify the claims of both women. However, at present, we have posted police personnel around the society to maintain law and order.”

The man, identified as Mohsin Khan, has been charged with section 354 (molestation) and 506 (II) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, police said.

Khan claimed that he has been targeted by political parties because he is a member of chief minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and is the shakha pramukh of shakha number eight in Dahisar.

Questioning as to why the elderly woman came forward more than 24 hours after the incident, he said, “I request the Kashimira police to scan the CCTV camera recordings of the entire society compound and arrest me if I am at fault.”

Around 8.30pm on Tuesday, Khan and his wife, Yasmin, entered the building, JP Infra society, along with two goats which were to be sacrificed on Bakri Eid, Kadam said. His four-wheeler was stopped by other residents at the gate, and they demanded that the couple take the animals elsewhere. Soon, a heated exchange of words broke out and the society members allegedly manhandled the man and his wife, the officer said and added that Khan then called the police.

A society member, who did not want to be named, said, “We do not oppose the festival or their celebration, but we just wanted them to get the goats outside the building. We were protesting peacefully but it was Khan who began threatening us.”