Man thrashed for molesting minor girl at his shop; arrested under BNS, POCSO Act provisions

Thane, Sep 13 (PTI) A 54-year-old man was arrested for allegedly molesting a minor girl inside a shop in Kalyan East in Thane district, a police official said on Saturday.

On Friday, a video of the incident, which showed the accused misbehaving with the girl, went viral, following which the victim was contacted in order to register a case, the Kolsewadi police station official said.

"We registered a case of molestation and other offences under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as well as Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on Friday night and arrested Bhavan Avchal Patel, a resident of Airoli in Navi Mumbai, some time later," he said.

The girl and her mother had earlier thrashed the accused at his clothing store with a slipper in retaliation for the molestation incident, which took place on Thursday, as per police.

Patel is also accused of sending obscene messages to the girl, officials said.

Police had earlier given the victim's age as 22 but later clarified that she is a minor. PTI COR ARU BNM