Bandra molestation: Third accused held

A day after a 21-year-old woman was allegedly molested and robbed of valuables by three men in Bandra (West), the Bandra police on Monday have arrested the third accused. The arrested has been identified as Pradeep Govande, 21.

"Govande lives in Dharavi and has cases of theft and robbery registered against him in several police stations," said a police officer. The Bandra police, on Sunday, had arrested the two other accused in the case, Abdul Shaikh, 21 and Farhad Sayyed, 20.

The woman, along with her 25-year-old boyfriend, was on her way back on a bike to south Mumbai at around 3am on Sunday. They had stopped near Bandra railway station to buy cigarettes. The three accused, who were roaming in the area, approached the couple. When the couple told the accused that they were looking for a cigarette shop, they offered help.

The trio allegedly took them to an isolated lane in Shastri Nagar and behaved inappropriately with the girl behind a parked tempo. They then threatened the duo, robbed them of their mobile phones and Rs33,500 and fled.

The Bandra police have registered a case of robbery and molestation.