Three arrested in Vikhroli molestation case

Three people, including two minors, have been arrested in Mumbai after an off-duty female police officer was allegedly molested during a religious procession. Right-wing organisations protested outside the police station and railway station, demanding the arrest of the perpetrators. The incident occurred when the officer was on her way to dinner and a person on a scooter touched her inappropriately before fleeing the scene. The accused were arrested after the protests began.

MUMBAI: A day after an off-duty woman police constable was allegedly molested in the Vikhroli Parksite area on Friday amid a religious procession, some right-wing organisations chanted Hanuman Chalisa and Jai Shree Ram as part of a protest outside the Parksite police station and Vikhroli railway station to arrest the perpetrators.

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The police said they formed seven teams to trace the accused after the protests started and arrested three persons, including two minors, in the molestation case.

On Friday, the police constable was on her way with her female friend to have dinner in a hotel in the Vikhroli West area. “While the woman was on her way and reached LBS Road in Surya Nagar to have dinner, a person on a scooter touched her inappropriately, hugged her and tried to speed away. The female constable managed to catch hold of him. However, another person on another scooter helped him flee the spot,” said a police officer.

The female constable was angry with this step and tried to ask for help from people present in the area. However, the accused fled the spot taking advantage of the fact that the area was crowded. The victim approached the Parksite police station.

“Based on her complaint, we registered a case under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code against the unknown accused,” said a police officer from the Parksite police station.

As the accused was not arrested, on Saturday morning, various Hindu organisations started gathering outside the police station and Vikhroli railway station and started shouting slogans and chanting Hanuman Chalisa. They even shut shops in various areas of Vikhroli as a protest.

“While the Eid-e-Milad procession underway, some men took advantage of the crowd and molested the woman constable,” said Member of Parliament, Manoj Kotak who was present at the police station on Saturday.

“We have arrested the minor youth who molested the female constable and also two people, including another minor who helped him flee, from the Parksite area. While the minor will be sent to Dongri children’s home the major will be produced before a court on Sunday,” said the police officer.

“The cops were not very keen to initially register a case only after people protested, they took the issue seriously,” said Sandeep Tripathi, BJP ward president from Vikhroli area.