Trial room peeping Tom arrested

The police have arrested the attendant accused of taking photographs of a woman in the changing room of sports apparel store on Linking Road. Hindustan Times had first reported the incident on Thursday.

Additional Commissioner of Police Archana Tyagi said the accused she refused to give his name was arrested and “the mobile phone on which the photographs were taken has been confiscated by the police”. “It’s shocking that such incidents occur,” she added.

The traumatised victim had approached an HT correspondent, just after she had caught the attendant. The store management had said that the attendant was a trainee and that he would be dismissed.

The victim had refused to lodge a police complaint, fearing legal hassles.

After HT’s report, the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission said it would direct the police to take action on its own and submit a report. Mayor Shubha Raul had said she would write to the state government to amend the Shops and Establishments Rule to allow stringent action against such offenders. The rule was formulated in 1948 and has no stipulations about norms for changing rooms.

“Had the victim lodged a complaint, the case would have been much stronger,” Tyagi said. She also said that the commission had not approached the police, but they would cooperate if it did.