18 March,2015 12:42 PM IST | | Sadaguru Pandit
After mid-day reported how RPF personnel refused to register an eyewitness’ complaint that some children had molested a foreigner, Kurla GRP lodged the case and a search for kids is on
Acting on this paper's report, while the Kurla Government Railway Police (GRP) have registered an FIR against unknown teens for allegedly molesting a foreign national at Ghatkopar station, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), who had earlier told off the eyewitness who wanted the case registered, are now on the hunt for the children involved in the incident.
mid-day had reported yesterday that a group of children between 12 and 14 years of age had molested a foreign national at Ghatkopar railway station. After the woman alighted from her train, two boys, who were standing at the door of the adjacent compartment, pulled her t-shirt and one of them groped her.
Shailesh Kuckyan, a Parel resident and a hotel management student, had witnessed this shocking incident and had approached the Kurla RPF to register a case. However, they told him to "mind his own business" and "let the incident go since children were involved."
When he insisted that the kids be caught, RPF personnel said they would inform their counterparts at Dadar, since the fast train had moved on there. At Dadar, Kuckyan was taken aback when a female constable accused him of lying and decided he had had enough. The victim was too shook-up to react and the train had gathered speed.
The unknown kids have now been booked under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. "We have called Kuckyan to record his statement.
Upon investigation of details he provides and of CCTV footage, we will take further action," said Vijay Dhopavar, senior police inspector, Kurla GRP. Both forces are working together to nab the kids. Debashmita Chattopadhyay, assistant security commissioner, RPF, who took charge yesterday, will head the investigation. An inquiry has also been ordered into the matter.
"I have personally spoken to Kuckyan and took the details of the incident. We have called him for an identification parade on March 18 (today) to identify the RPF employees who refused to take his complaint. The defaulters will be severely punished," said Alok Bohra, senior divisional security commissioner (RPF Mumbai).
