The Vartak Nagar police have launched a manhunt for a suspected serial molester after five schoolgirls from a Thane Municipal School reported being inappropriately touched by an unidentified man.
The latest incident came to light on Monday around 7:15 AM when a girl was on her way to school. The accused approached her from the opposite direction and allegedly touched her inappropriately. He then followed her for a short distance before she managed to escape and run to her school.
The girl immediately informed her class teacher, who then alerted her parents. The victim, accompanied by her mother, later approached the Vartak Nagar police station and filed a complaint against an unknown person.
A case has been registered under Section 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Sections 8 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
During the investigation, police accompanied the victim to the spot where the incident occurred and then visited the school. While questioning students, four other girls came forward with similar complaints, stating they had also been harassed by the same suspect earlier that morning.
Investigating Officer Roshan Jadhav said, “We have formed two teams under the direction of senior officers. One team is reviewing CCTV footage from the area, while the other is working with local informants and using technical intelligence. We are confident the accused will be apprehended soon.”
