02 July,2012 06:52 AM IST | | Vinay Dalvi
The Cuffe Parade police arrested a 20-year-old man yesterday, after he allegedly showed pornographic clippings to minor girls in the area. The accused identified as Naresh Gopal Patare was picked up from his residence at Chitra Park, Cuffe Parade. Soon after his detention, several residents from the area have come forward and lodged similar grievances with the police, complaining of his misdemeanours.
With several families approaching the police, cops are hoping that they have got their man in the recent rape and murder cases of
three minor girls in the Colaba area.
"We hope this arrest will give us a break-through in the three murder cases of minor girls," said a police officer from Cuffe Parade police station.
According to the police, Patare approached minor girls by offering them goodies, and would then take them to a corner and show them the offensive clippings. He would then misbehave with them.
Police have booked Patare on charges of molestation. The incident came to light when police addressed a complaint on June 28 from a 11-year-old girl, also a resident of Chitra Park, who alleged that Patare took her to a corner by offering her a chocolate, and then showed her a pornographic video clipping and later acted inappropriately with her.
"Based on the complaint filed by the minor's family, we have arrested Patare and booked him for molestation," said the police officer.
No minor matter
After the rape and murder of three minor girls in Cuffe Parade in the past seven months, the police have until now carried out DNA tests on 900 people, and have got reports of around 200 that have come out negative.
Jagruti Patel was found dead on November 13 last year, while Karishma Chavan and Angel Sharma's bodies were found on January 18 and April 19, 2012 respectively. While Karishma and Jagruti were found dead at the same spot near the Nariman Point Fire Brigade depot, Angel's body was recovered from the sea, near Maker Tower, Cuffe Parade. u00a0u00a0