Cop `molests’ IIT student in Navi Mumbai, arrested

MUMBAI, (PTI): A police constable has been arrested for allegedly molesting a 19-year-old woman student of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, police said on Saturday.

The incident took place on Palm Beach Road in Sanpada in the early hours of Friday, an official said.

As per the woman’s complaint, she arrived in Sanpada area from the IIT campus in Powai in Mumbai late Thursday night to meet a male classmate. After strolling on Palm Beach Road, they decided to return to IIT by taking the first local train of the day at 4.08 am, and to kill time by roaming in the area till then.

A police team in a patrolling vehicle questioned them around 3 am and left when they showed their ID cards and explained why they were there. A constable arrived on a two-wheeler a few minutes later and started questioning them, the complaint said.

He allegedly asked the male student to sit on the motorcycle and leave the woman behind, but the latter refused. When he asked the woman to sit on the two-wheeler and she too declined, the police constable allegedly molested her, and tried to force her to accept the ride.

A car driver on the road stopped his vehicle and came to their help.

The constable was then taken to Sanpada police station where the woman lodged a complaint. After she and her friend returned to the IIT, a First Information Report under section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the constable.

The FIR was transferred to Sanpada police station following which the constable was arrested. The accused’s blood samples were collected to check if he was under the influence of alcohol, the official said, adding that further probe is on. (PTI)