14 March,2021 10:30 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
This picture has been used for representational purpose
The Mumbai Police on Saturday arrested an autorickshaw driver for sexually harassing a college student at the ticket counter of Andheri railway station. Cops also found some objectionable photos in the accused's phone and will investigate if he has harassed anyone else too.
According to a report in the Times of India, the alleged incident took place at around 11.15 am when the student was waiting near the ticket booking office at Andheri (West) with a male friend. Accused Premchand Yadav (27) secretly shot pictures of the student's rear on his phone, however, he was noticed by the girl's friend.
When confronted, Yadav stated that he accidentally hit the camera button while he was trying to find a signal on his handset. Not convinced by his reasoning, the girl and her friend asked him to delete the photos immediately.
"He hit the 'delete' button but the photos were transferred to the recycle bin on his handset and were not permanently deleted. This meant he could retrieve them back whenever he wanted," a police officer said. In no time, passersby gathered as the student and her friend yelled at Yadav.
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Meanwhile, the Government Railway Police (GRP) were informed who took Yadav to the GRP post in Andheri East. Upon inspecting his phone, GRP officials found the student's pictures in the recycle bin. Shockingly, cops also found objectionable pictures of another woman who Yadav claimed was his family member.
"The handset has been sent for analysis to the state forensic science laboratory at Kalina," said Dattatreya Nikam, senior inspector, Andheri GRP. In his statement to the police, Yadav said that he had parked his auto outside the railway station and had gone to the ticket booking window in Andheri (West) to purchase a ticket.
Further, he claimed that he had given Rs 500 to a woman to book his ticket along with hers, and said that he was keeping a watch in order to ensure the woman did not flee with his money. The Andheri GRP are verifying the authenticity of his version. He has been booked under section 354 of IPC for 'outraging modesty of a woman.'
