Mumbai man who groped girl near college arrested

Mumbai city news: Rathod was riding the bike, while pillion rider Chavan molested the girl, police said

The Kherwadi police on Thursday arrested a man who allegedly groped a girl near a college in Bandra (East) and fled on a bike last week. The accused’s accomplice, who rode the bike, was also arrested, police said.

According to the police, the incident took place around 3pm last Friday. The 17-year-old girl was heading home from college when Umesh Chavan, 24, and Sunil Rathod, 19, came on a bike. Rathod was riding the bike, while pillion rider Chavan molested the girl, police said

Senior police inspector Rajendra Patil said, “The girl started crying and a crowd gathered. A man telephoned us from the spot and told what happened. We have registered an FIR.”

The police scanned all CCTV cameras in the vicinity. A team of officials led by assistant police inspector Sohan Kadam then started checking visitors’ books in nearby buildings and zeroed in on a courier man, who had a similar bike. He told them he dropped his friend.

The police traced the friend who told then he had come to drink alcohol, but he had seen a group of youngsters in the area that day. Based on his description, the police traced Chavan, who confessed to the crime.

Chavan was traced and he confessed to have committed the crime under the influence of alcohol. Chavan and Rathod both have studied up to Class 8, live in Dnyaneshwar Nagar in Bandra East, and work as labourers. Chavan is married and has a three-year-old daughter.

They have been booked under section 8 (sexual assault) and 17 (abetment to offence) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. If convicted for sexual assault. the accused will face a minimum of three years imprisonment, which may be extended to five years with fine.