Man held for molesting 3 minor girls in Thane

Thane, Feb 23 (PTI) Police have arrested a 37-year-old man for allegedly molesting three minor girls under the pretext of taking a selfie with them in Maharashtra’s Thane district, an official said on Sunday.

The incident took place on Friday when the girls — one 8-year-old and two others aged 10 — were waiting for an auto-rickshaw while on way to school in OT Section locality of Ulhasnagar township.

The accused, resident of the same area, approached the minors under the pretext of taking a selfie with them, Vitthalwadi police station’s inspector (crime) Vikram Gaud said.

The girls, who were scared, ran to the house of one of them, leaving their school bags at the spot.

The accused then allegedly trespassed into the girl’s house, touched the three minors inappropriately and again attempted to take a selfie with them, the official said.

After the girls raised an alarm, some neighbours caught hold of the accused.

Based on a complaint by the victims, the accused was arrested on Friday night and booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the official said.

The FIR did not specify reason for the police invoking the SC/ST Act against the accused.

As part of the probe into the case, the police were examining CCTV footage of the area and collecting other evidence, including statements of witnesses.