Food stall owner in Titwala stalks, assaults 2 school girls | Mumbai news

MUMBAI: A food stall owner who had been stalking a school girl from till her house, sexually assaulted her on Sunday when she was alone at home. When she reported this incident to her mother, her 12-year-old sister revealed he had molested her too in the last week. The accused, identified as Hemant Pawar, 22, was arrested on Sunday by the Kalyan Taluka Police.

Pawar ran a Chinese food stall at the entrance of the victim’s chawl in Titwala, said police. According to the 14-year-old victim’s statement, she was alone inside her home on Sunday when Pawar stormed in, uninvited. She told the police Pawar admitted to her that he always followed her to her house after school. He allegedly grabbed her hand and tried to restrain her against her will. When she resisted, he pushed her on the bed and attempted to rape her.

Her cries for help alerted the neighbours, which frightened the accused so he fled. After her mother returned from work at night, the girl reported the incident to her. As she was narrating the event, her 12-year-old sister broke down, revealing the accused had assaulted her too last week while she was returning home from school, but she managed to escape from his clutches.

Their mother immediately approached the police and filed a complaint, demanding strict action against Pawar. He was booked on Sunday under Section 74 (assaulting a woman to outrage her modesty), 78 (stalking), and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

Residents have expressed concern over rising incidents of harassment and have urged law enforcement agencies to take stringent measures to ensure the safety of women. A police officer said, “We are committed to ensuring the safety and security of all individuals, especially women, in our community. We encourage citizens to report such incidents promptly.”