Two disturbing incidents of alleged stalking and harassment of female students have come to light in Mumbai's eastern suburbs of Kanjurmarg and Govandi. In separate cases, two individuals, aged 20 and 18, have been arrested by Kanjurmarg and Deonar police respectively.
According to the FIR filed with the Kanjurmarg Police, the accused, Sumit Shashikant Palekar, 20, a resident of Shastri Nagar, Kanjurmarg East, allegedly stalked a 13-year-old victim from June 1 to June 9. Palekar reportedly waited outside her class around 12:30 PM daily, attempting to establish contact.
Palekar is accused of obtaining the girl's mobile number and making WhatsApp calls, which she did not answer. On the night of June 14, he allegedly stood outside her home, verbally abusing and shoving her over the unanswered calls.
Based on a complaint lodged by the victim's 53-year-old father, the Kanjurmarg Police registered a case under relevant sections of Bhartiy Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Palekar was arrested from his residence early Sunday morning.
In a separate case, Deonar Police have arrested Ayush Lokhande, 18, a resident of Deonar Colony, in connection with the alleged stalking and harassment of a 16-year-old female student from Govandi.
The victim reported that Lokhande secretly followed her from her home in Govandi to Vashi, Navi Mumbai. Lokhande allegedly made obscene comments about the student after seeing her speak to a boy in Vashi.
He is also accused of threatening to viral photos of her on social media and assaulting her at Govandi Railway Station. Lokhande was arrested on the morning of June 14.
