New Delhi, Jan 9 (IANS) A 36-year-old man was arrested for allegedly molesting seven minor schoolgirls, aged between 14 and 15 years, in the Malvani area of Malad in Mumbai.

The accused reportedly lured the girls with the promise of taking them for a drive before molesting them on a public road.

Acting swiftly, the police registered a case under sections related to molestation and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and apprehended the accused within hours.

According to police, one of the victims, a 14-year-old girl from Santacruz who studies in Malvani, left home for school around 7.30 a.m. She and her classmates were standing near the school premises when the accused approached them. Before the girls could react, he allegedly got close, hugged them, made obscene gestures, and molested all seven minors.

Police said the accused also allegedly told the girls to meet him regularly at the same spot and promised to take them for a drive in his car. Terrified by the incident, the girls raised an alarm, which attracted local residents to the scene.

Following the recording of the statement of the victim’s mother, the police registered an offence against the accused.

Malvani Police rushed to the location and, after recording the statement, formally registered the case under the POCSO Act and the relevant sections of the BNS. The accused was detained and later arrested in the afternoon. He was produced before the Dindoshi court, which remanded him to police custody for further investigation.

Authorities said the police are investigating whether the accused may have been involved in similar incidents in the past. Mumbai Police confirmed that strict action has been taken due to the seriousness of the offence and the age of the victims, and assured that the investigation is ongoing.

The incident has created fear in the area, and with the arrest, the authorities tried to address the situation.

–IANS

rs/dpb