In a swift operation, the Mumbai Police arrested a 27-year-old man within a day after he allegedly molested a young woman on a road in Goregaon West. The incident, which occurred on the night of November 26, sparked outrage after the victim took to social media to detail her ordeal and the initial lack of response from helplines.
The Harrowing Incident and Social Media Appeal
The victim, a 22-year-old woman, was walking while talking on her phone when the accused, identified as Kuldeep Kanojia, aggressively groped her in the middle of the road. In a post on the platform X, the woman revealed the traumatic details, stating she was left feeling completely helpless.
She wrote that she was unable to process the event for 10-20 seconds but then screamed loudly for help. Tragically, not a single person on the road came to her aid. She even attempted to chase the perpetrator, but he managed to disappear into the night, leaving her alone, crying, and screaming on the road.
The victim also highlighted a critical failure in the system, stating that she immediately tried calling multiple helpline numbers after the attack. However, her calls went unanswered, and she received no assistance through these official channels.
The 24-Hour Police Investigation
Following media reports and the woman's social media post, the Goregaon police registered a formal FIR and launched a intensive investigation. A joint team from Goregaon, Bangur Nagar, and Malad police stations worked under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police Prakash Bagal and Senior Police Inspector Suryakant Kharat.
Investigators faced a significant challenge initially. While they retrieved CCTV footage from the scene and the nearby Udyog Nagar area, the suspect's face was unidentifiable due to the poor, grainy quality of the video. Undeterred, officers took a proactive approach.
They canvassed the locality, showing still images from the footage to local residents. The breakthrough came when a security guard recognized the uniform worn by the fleeing man. He informed the police that it matched the attire of labourers working at a specific plastic manufacturing factory in Udyog Nagar.
The guard also suggested that the accused appeared to have committed the offence "as an instant act" after stepping out of the factory for a walk. Acting swiftly on this crucial tip, the police traced and apprehended Kuldeep Kanojia within 24 hours of the incident.
Resolution and Official Statements
The accused, Kuldeep Kanojia, is a resident of Goregaon West who originally hails from Basti in Uttar Pradesh. He worked as a labourer at the plastic factory in the area.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Satyanarayan Chaudhary confirmed that the police approached the victim and successfully solved the case within a day. Addressing the victim's complaint about the helplines, he clarified that the numbers are functional. He stated that the victim was unable to get through because she did not follow the process of dialling the correct option to connect with an official for filing a complaint.
The police's meticulous review of approximately 80 CCTV recordings was pivotal in piecing together the suspect's movement and ultimately leading to his arrest from Udyog Nagar, Goregaon West.
