The Mumbai Police chief Rakesh Maria on Monday tendered an apology to a sexual harassment victim after he learnt that the girl faced tremendous ordeal in getting her complaint lodged.
Mr. Maria called the victim and apologised for the ‘inappropriate behaviour’ of his lower rung officers and for asking ‘irrelevant’ questions and making her visit three police stations before finally taking her complaint.
The 21-year-old was allegedly molested by two youths at an isolated spot in Bandra in western suburban Mumbai on August 17.
The victim and her companion were on a bike ride and stopped near Dharavi, a central suburb close to Bandra, looking for cigarettes. The three accused allegedly offered them help to locate a shop and led them to a deserted alley. Two of the three accused then allegedly molested the victim and punched her companion.
The two, however, escaped and reached the nearby Dharavi police station only to find that the ‘crime spot’ does not fall in their jurisdiction.
The victim visited three police stations to get her complaint registered.
