Thane Resident Arrested For Attempted Assault On College Student In Mulund
Police have arrested a 31-year-old man from Thane in connection with the alleged stalking and attempted sexual assault of a college student in the Vaishali Nagar Road area of Mulund.
The accused, identified as Anil Ramcharan Karotia, is a resident of the C.P. Talao area of Wagle Estate in Thane and works at an idli-dosa food stall. He was arrested following an extensive investigation that involved scanning nearly 120 hours of footage across 250 CCTV cameras.
According to police, the incident occurred in the early hours of August 6 when the victim left her home to attend college. Karotia allegedly followed her, intercepted her near roadside bushes, and dragged her into a secluded area in an attempt to sexually assault her.
The woman raised an alarm and managed to call her mother for help. Because the incident happened close to the victim's residence, her mother rushed to the location immediately. Upon her arrival, the assailant fled the scene, foiling the attack. The victim sustained injuries during the struggle.
Based on the woman's complaint, the Mulund police registered a case under Sections 74, 76, 79, 115(2), and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Six investigation teams were formed under the leadership of Mulund Police Station Senior Police Inspector Santosh Ghatekar.
While reviewing CCTV footage, investigators identified a suspicious motorcyclist moving in the vicinity shortly before and after the incident. On August 14, the team spotted a person matching the suspect's description behaving suspiciously in the same area. When he left on a motorcycle, officers traced his route using surveillance cameras.
Acting on confidential information, police detained Karotia in Thane. Officials said evidence of his involvement emerged during questioning, leading to his formal arrest.
Investigators noted that the accused had visited the area repeatedly in the past. Mulund police have appealed to any women who may have experienced stalking, harassment, or molestation by the accused to report the incidents to the police, assuring that all complaints will be investigated and complainants' identities kept confidential.
