Mumbai crime: Lab technician arrested in Mulund for 'molesting' minor girl during dental x-ray

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A laboratory technician employed at a diagnostic center in Mumbai's Mulund was arrested on charges of molesting a minor girl during a dental X-ray examination, police said. The accused, identified as Suraj Shinde, was taken into custody following the incident that occurred on Thursday, news agency ANI reported.

The 15-year-old victim, visiting the diagnostic center for a dental X-ray due to a toothache, reported that the lab technician behaved inappropriately during the procedure. In response to the girl's outcry, the accused promptly fled the scene. The victim, accompanied by her family, promptly approached the nearest police station to file a complaint.

The Mulund police registered a case against Suraj Shinde under Section 354 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Following his arrest, the accused was presented before a court, which ordered his police custody until November 13.

Meanwhile, in the light of the recent case of molestation of minor girls by a school principal in Jind Haryana, the Khap (Social organisation of community members) and a Farmers outfit held a Mahapanchayat and passed three resolutions unanimously.

The resolutions stated that 'the farmer outfits would urge Jind bar association not to defend accused principal in court', 'any accused involved with the principal should be behind bars', and the third was the Khap and farmer outfits would meet Deputy Commissioner and SP asking them to investigate the delay in action against the accused.

In the Mahapanchayat, Kandela Khap, Majra, Daharn and many other Bangar Khaps were present besides farmer unions and social outfits.

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Speaking to ANI, farmer unionist Azad Palwa said "District authorities had delayed registering the case. The matter was highlighted on September 14 but an FIR was lodged only after 15 days which shows the lapse of district officials. It is a brutal crime that will not be tolerated. Khaps and farmer unions will fight to bring justice for victim girls. "We will keep a tab on the issue and strict action will be taken if authorities do not investigate the matter properly."

Farmers have alleged that numbers of girls attending the school in Jind, have dropped from 2,000 t0 1200 in the last few years due to the behaviour of the accused principal. They alleged that the principal had been posted in the same school for the past six year.

The principal of a government girl senior secondary school in Haryana's Jind was accused of sexually assaulting 60 minor girls. The accused was nabbed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising DSP Amit Bhatia, women SHO Mukesh Rani, Uchana Kalan SHO Balwan Singh, and sub-inspector Prem Kumari last week.

On October 31, Uchana police lodged an FIR against the accused under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 354 of the IPC after around 15 schoolgirls had written a five-page letter, citing sexual assault by the principal on the pretext of failing them in practical exams and other purposes, to the President, the Prime Minister, and the Chief Justice of India.

The accused principal was sent to 14-days of judicial custody on November 7. (With inputs from ANI)