In a deeply disturbing incident, a school van driver in the Chembur area was apprehended for allegedly molesting an 11-year-old girl student inside his vehicle. The accused, identified as Tushar Bhalerao, purportedly showed the victim obscene videos on his mobile phone during the ordeal. Following a complaint by the student's mother, the Tilaknagar police swiftly took action, leading to the arrest of the accused driver.
The shocking incident occurred on October 19 in the Tilaknagar vicinity of Chembur. The victim, a fifth-grade student at a local school, found herself alone in the school van as she made her way home. Exploiting this situation, Tushar Bhalerao reportedly parked the vehicle in the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus area and subjected the young girl to harassment by displaying explicit content on his mobile phone.
Girl revealed her ordeal after her mother inquired about her well-being
Frightened and traumatized by the ordeal, the girl raised an alarm by screaming. In response, the accused driver allegedly threatened her and eventually left her near her residence. The victim, left in a state of fear, initially remained tight-lipped about the incident. However, when her concerned mother inquired about her well-being, the girl eventually confided in her and revealed the harrowing encounter.
Upon learning of the distressing incident, the girl's mother took immediate action by lodging a formal complaint with the Tilaknagar police station on Wednesday. In response, the police promptly registered a case and took Tushar Bhalerao into custody.
Investigation underway
A police official provided a statement, confirming the arrest of the accused and stating that further investigations into the matter are underway.
In response to this incident, law enforcement authorities have registered a case under Sections 354, 363, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The police further revealed that the accused driver had the responsibility of safely dropping all the schoolchildren at their respective homes. However, in a grave breach of trust, he reportedly deviated from this duty by taking the victim girl near the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus station, where the distressing act occurred.
