Mumbai: Santa Cruz police arrested a 34-year-old man on Thursday, a day after he molested a woman travelling in an autorickshaw on Linking Road. She had noted down the vehicle's registration number and dialled police helpline 103, but was not provided help. After TOI intervened, cops swung into action and made the arrest in 24 hours.
"We have initiated disciplinary action against two female operators of the 103 helpline. One of them had left her seat to run an errand while the other who handled the call did not forward the information to the concerned police station. Both have been transferred to the local arms unit," said DCP (operations) Sanjay Barkund. The helpline receives 200 to 300 calls daily, mostly general inquiries.
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The accused, Mohammad Hussain Kaachwala, works in a glass-making company and resides at Golibar in Santa Cruz East. He broke down in front of his family and admitted to molesting the woman.
"He had the audacity to offer a ridiculous explanation that the woman's outfit—she was dressed in a pair of shorts—tempted him to touch her," :mad: said an official.
"A female officer visited my place on Wednesday night. We went to Khar police station where an FIR was filed under section 354 of IPC," the victim told TOI. The case was transferred to Santa Cruz police station in whose jurisdiction the incident occurred. "On Wednesday we tracked the address of the scooter's owner; he is out of town. Kaachwala, known to the vehicle owner, had borrowed it. He'll be produced before court on Friday," said Padmakar Chavan, Santa Cruz police station.
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"We have initiated disciplinary action against two female operators of the 103 helpline. One of them had left her seat to run an errand while the other who handled the call did not forward the information to the concerned police station. Both have been transferred to the local arms unit," said DCP (operations) Sanjay Barkund. The helpline receives 200 to 300 calls daily, mostly general inquiries.
The accused, Mohammad Hussain Kaachwala, works in a glass-making company and resides at Golibar in Santa Cruz East. He broke down in front of his family and admitted to molesting the woman.
"He had the audacity to offer a ridiculous explanation that the woman's outfit—she was dressed in a pair of shorts—tempted him to touch her," :mad: said an official.
"A female officer visited my place on Wednesday night. We went to Khar police station where an FIR was filed under section 354 of IPC," the victim told TOI. The case was transferred to Santa Cruz police station in whose jurisdiction the incident occurred. "On Wednesday we tracked the address of the scooter's owner; he is out of town. Kaachwala, known to the vehicle owner, had borrowed it. He'll be produced before court on Friday," said Padmakar Chavan, Santa Cruz police station.
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