Mumbai: A 40-year-old hawker has been arrested for allegedly trying to grope a woman commuter, 23, in the general compartment of a local train on Wednesday near Kurla. The victim was scared and didn't share her ordeal at home. But her family members noticed that something is amiss in the woman's behaviour. After coaxing her gently, the aggrieved finally opened up and narrated the traumatic incident to her kin.
Encouraged by the family, she approached the police and lodged a complaint on Monday. She remembered the facial features of the accused, who helped the police in pinning him down.
According to the government railway police (GRP), the incident took place when the victim was alighting at the Mulund railway station. A hawker selling pens and cosmetics was also present in the same compartment and tried to touch the victim inappropriately. The woman shouted at the accused and told him to stay away but he continued the same behaviour.
The victim got down at the next station but did not register any complaint against the accused. She didn't even inform at home as she was scared. Later on, Monday, she spoke to her father about the incident who supported her to register a complaint so that the accused doesn't repeat the same offence again, said Kurla GRP inspector Sandeep Bagul.
“The woman remembered the facial features of the hawker. With the help of that information, we sent out the word among our informants and other hawkers. They identified him quickly and he was arrested by us from an area near his home in Kurla, added the police officer.
The accused identified as Arif Siddique has been booked under the Indian Penal Code section 354 (molestation).
