Mumbai: 3 held for molesting women in 3 separate incidents in running local trains

In three separate incidents of women commuters being harassed inside the railway compartments on Monday, the Government Railway Police (GRP) arrested three persons. In one such incident, a minor girl was molested inside a running train between Between Malad and Andheri, the accused was later handed over to the police by fellow commuters.

According to the police, the 17-year-old victim who is in 12th science was on her way to college at Andheri on Monday morning. She boarded a slow train from Malad, the accused later identified as Pravin Jain, 52 who was sitting beside her started touching her inappropriately. He even told the teenager that he would give her anything if she cooperated with him. The girl then changed her seat and informed her friend over a text message. As the train entered Andheri station, the accused started to flee however the fellow passengers and victim's friend caught hold of him and handed him to GRP.

Jain, a resident of Dahisar stays with his friends. His wife passed away 14 years ago. "We have arrested the accused under the IPC section 354 (molestation) along with relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) act," said Anil Kadam senior inspector of Borivali GRP.

In another incident, the Borivali GRP has arrested a man for misbehaving with a woman commuter on Monday.

Furthermore, Andheri GRP arrested a 43-year-old man for allegedly flashing at a woman commuter on Monday night. The victim a sales executive was on her way to Goregaon on Monday while the incident took place between Vile Parle and Andheri Railway station when the accused Mukesh Soni allegedly flashed at her.

According to the police, the 24-year-old victim had boarded the train from Khar Road station, while she was sitting inside the middle ladies compartment the accused was alone inside the handicap compartment adjacent to the victim's compartment. Between Vile Parle and Andheri station, Soni allegedly flashed at her, after the victim and others in her compartment raised an alarm, Soni was nabbed at Andheri station.

He has been booked under section 354 (molestation) and 509 (gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), said police, Soni a resident of Appapada in Malad does odd jobs, said police.