Molester’s gutkha addiction leads cops to his workplace

Mohammad Shahrukh Babunisar Khan, the accused

Police were able to trace and arrest a 24-year-old molester and assaulter quickly, thanks to his addiction to gutkha. Mohammad Shahrukh Babunisar Khan has been arrested for molesting a commuter at Vasai railway station.

On February 22, the complainant, 25, was on an elevator when a young man suddenly hugged her from behind, officers told mid-day. She slapped him and in response, the man beat her and ran away. She tried to follow him, but the escalator was going up, while the man ran down quickly.

The incident was captured on CCTV camera

She filed a complaint with the Vasai Government Railway Police (GRP), following which officers started scanning all the CCTV camera footage of the station. They spotted him eating gutkha at the entrance of the station. Using the image they had acquired through the footage, they enquired about him at over 50 pan shops in the vicinity of the station.

One pan shop owner recognised him in the photo and told police that he works at some mobile shop. Police then checked all the mobile shops and finally arrested him on February 25.

A GRP officer told mid-day Khan, a resident of Nalasopara East, was brought to the police station and interrogated, after which he confessed to his crime. "The incident took place around 11.30 pm and as there wasn't much crowd, he managed to escape. The entire incident was captured on CCTV camera," he added.

Police have booked him under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A and 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) of the IPC.