Kurla minor assault: Accused booked under stringent POSCO act, female officer to lead investigation

A local court on Sunday granted four days police custody to the accused re-arrested for molesting and assaulting a minor in Kurla-Nehrunagar area of Mumbai earlier this week.

The incident took place around 7 pm on October 17, when the accused passed lewd comments at the girl while she was on her way to tuition classes.

When the 16-year-old asked him to stop, he physically assaulted the teenager in full view of the public.

The actions of the accused, identified as Imran Shahid Shaikh, were caught on a nearby CCTV camera.

“Shaikh hit her on the nose with a metal object, after which she collapsed on the ground, with her nose bleeding profusely,” an official said. The accused also threatened her before fleeing from the spot.

The victim subsequently filed a complaint with Nehrunagar Police, who booked Shaikh under section 324 and 506 of IPC and arrested him on October 18. However, he was released on bail on the same evening since it was a bailable offence.

Later, an X-ray report of the victim revealed that she has got a fracture in her nose. The family also filed a molestation complaint, following which Shaikh was booked on additional charges of IPC 326 and section 8 and 12 of POCSO act.

“The victim recorded a supplementary statement Saturday as per her wish,” said DCP, Zone VI, Shahaji Umap.

Based on the statement, the police filed an application for cancelling Shaikh’s bail bond. The court accepted the application and the accused was arrested again on Saturday evening.

The case has now been handed over to WPI Manisha Shirke of Tilaknagar Police station.

Meanwhile, Shaikh was produced before a court Sunday which sent him to police custody until October 25.

A video purportedly showing Shaikh attacking the victim has gone viral in the social and mainstream media.