Serial groper arrested in Mulund

MUMBAI: A serial groper, who had been targeting women and girls in Mulund (E) since May 2018, was arrested by Navghar police on Friday. According to police, the 38-year-old accused, identified as Viren Shah, a resident of Charai, Thane, rode a motorcycle, looking out for women and girls moving about alone, alight from his vehicle, touch them inappropriately and flee. The most recent incident was reported on February 7, when a woman was taking a walk in the Sambhaji Maidan around 10pm. Spotting her alone, the accused assaulted her and ran away. The woman lodged a complaint and police registered a case of molestation under section (354) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against an unidentified person. Police said although Shah had attacked several women in the past, few of the victims approached them. After a few tip-offs, police managed to trace the accused. They went through CCTV footages of the area, traced the accused on his motorcycle and arrested him from his office in R City Mall, Ghatkopar (W). During the probe, the accused confessed to committing similar acts in Kopri, Thane also. He was produced in court and sent to police custody till February 18.