A case of alleged sexual harassment of a Class 10 girl sparked outrage in Surat's Althan area, keeping the locality tense from Friday night through Saturday afternoon. The 38-year-old accused, identified as Aziz Shaikh, was reportedly thrashed twice by angry residents — once immediately after the incident and again on Saturday when police brought him to the crime scene for a panchnama.
Incident Details
According to police, the incident occurred around 8:30 pm on Friday when the teenager was returning home on her moped after attending coaching classes. She was travelling from Sentosa Heights towards Viona Apartment on Althan-Bhimrad Road when the accused, riding another moped, followed and sexually harassed her in public view.
Nearby residents witnessed the harassment and intervened, catching hold of Shaikh. An enraged crowd thrashed him before handing him over to a police patrol team that arrived after receiving information. Police took the accused into custody and registered an FIR in the presence of the victim's parents and her teacher.
Mob Gathers at Police Station
News of the incident spread quickly, leading thousands of residents to gather at the Althan police station late Friday night. Police had to use mild force to disperse sections of the crowd as tempers flared.
Second Attack During Panchnama
On Saturday noon, police took the accused to Althan-Bhimrad Road for a panchnama at the crime scene. Hundreds of residents had already gathered along the road and outside nearby buildings after learning about the police movement in advance. Within minutes, the crowd swelled further, with people shouting slogans and questioning women's safety.
Some individuals from the crowd managed to break through the security cordon and punched and kicked the accused. Police personnel quickly intervened to shield him while struggling to complete the panchnama amid the tense situation. Some protesters also allegedly pelted stones at the police team. More than 100 police personnel were deployed to control the crowd and prevent escalation.
Legal Action
Deputy Commissioner of Police Nidhi Thakur stated that the accused has been booked under sections 75(2) (sexual harassment) and 78(2) (stalking) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Shaikh, a resident of Bardoli who works at an embroidery unit in Bhestan, was produced before a court on Saturday and remanded to two days of police custody for further investigation. Police are collecting CCTV footage from the route where the incident allegedly took place.
