3 RPF teams search for train molester

Mumbai: Two days after a 13-year-old girl jumped off from the ladies-only reserved coach of a moving suburban train, the railway police has formed three teams to track the male accused who boarded the coach, refused to get off despite her objections then scared her on Sunday. Around 1928 persons have been caught till September 2017 for travelling in ladies coaches illegally, revealed Railway Protection Force (RPF) figures.

Penalties worth Rs 6.41 lakh was collected from those accused of travelling in ladies-only coaches. Officials said that six of them were sentenced to jail term for failing to pay the fine. The number recorded a rise between January and September in 2016, when 1861 persons were caught in similar act. The RPF penalised them to the tune of Rs 7.35 lakh as per provisions of Railway Act and 10 of them were sent to jail.  

The girl survived with four stitches on her head as the train was moving slowly. The incident took place between CSMT and Masjid station on Sunday. The Government Railway Police (GRP) officials have accessed the CCTV camera footage of the CSMT station that captured the accused peeping into ladies coaches of local trains that were at platform 2, 3 and 4. His actions showed as if he was allegedly trying to find a woman commuter. “He is seen alighting at Masjid station and exiting from the railway station. We are trying to track him down. He was wearing decent clothes and did not look like a drug addict,” said Vilas Chowgule, inspector with the CSMT GRP. The officials have made photographs of the accused with the help of the CCTV camera footage in a bid to find him. A case of molestation as per section 354 of the Indian Penal Code and under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act has been registered against him.