2 cases of molestation, 1 sexual harassment case reported from railway stations

Two cases of molestation were reported from Prabhadevi and Thane railway stations on Monday, while a case of sexual harassment took place at Bandra railway station.

Two cases of molestation were reported from Prabhadevi and Thane railway stations on Monday, while a case of sexual harassment took place at Bandra railway station. The police have arrested two people and are looking for the accused who molested a commuter on Thane railway station platform.

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At Prabhadevi station, a 30-year-old woman was molested around 9am when she was climbing the staircase. The accused, identified as Nizamuddin Shaikh, touched her inappropriately, following which the woman hauled him to a police personnel present on the platform. He was later taken to the government railway police (GRP) station at Mumbai Central, where a first information report was registered against him.

“Based on the complainant’s statement, we registered an FIR against Shaikh under section 354 [assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty] of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and arrested him,” said Shailendra Dhiwar, senior inspector, GRP.

Shaikh is a resident of Chembur and works as a carpenter at Prabhadevi, the police said.

In the second incident, a 21-year-old student was stalked by Dinesh Parihar, a 27-year-old garment shop employee, while she was going to her college at Bandra around 10.30am.

V Chaugule, senior inspector, Bandra GRP, said, “The accused was passing obscene comments on the complainant and asked her to go with him. The student then informed a GRP personnel patrolling on the platform, following which he was arrested under sections 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 354 A (Sexual Harassment) of Indian Penal Code.”

In the third incident, a 31-year-old Mira Road resident was molested around 7am when she arrived at Thane station from Airoli. The woman told the police that the area near the staircase of the station was crowded and an unknown person, taking advantage of the crowd, molested her.

“We have registered an FIR under sections 354 and 354 A of the Indian Penal Code and are looking for accused,” said an officer.