43-Year-Old Arrested for Stalking and Harassing 20-Year-Old Woman in Nalasopara

Nalasopara:A 43-year-old man has been arrested for stalking and attempting to solicit sexual favours from a 20-year-old woman near a demolition site in Nalasopara, where hundreds of families have been displaced after their unauthorized buildings were razed by the municipal corporation. The accused, identified as Ulfat Gaffar Shaikh, allegedly approached the woman on Friday evening as she was returning from Nalasopara railway station with her elder sister and grandmother. According to sources, Shaikh had been stalking the woman, and when she was alone near Agarwal Gate number 1, close to the demolition site, he demanded sexual favours in exchange for Rs 5,000.

Terrified, the woman sought help, and local residents rushed to her aid. The accused was caught at the scene and severely beaten by the crowd. The woman immediately narrated her ordeal, and an FIR was registered under sections 75 (sexual harassment) and 78 (stalking) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Shaikh, a resident of Nalasopara East, was arrested shortly after. The woman’s connection to the homeless families displaced by the demolition has not yet been confirmed. The demolition of seven out of 41 unauthorized buildings by the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation last week left 53 families homeless, and they are still awaiting rehabilitation from the state government. Pournima Chougule-Shringi, the zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police, assured the public that the police have adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards crimes against women. "Our personnel are conducting night patrols in the area to ensure the safety and security of the residents," she said.