Actor ‘molested’ in flight, man held

Mumbai, December 10

A 39-year-old man was arrested today for allegedly molesting “Dangal” actor Zaira Wasim, 17, onboard a Delhi-Mumbai flight last night, the police said.  The man has been identified as Vikas Sachdev.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Anil Kumbhare said he would be produced in the court tomorrow.

Sachdev has been booked under Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the IPC and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) since the actor is a minor, said Lata Shirsat, Senior Police Inspector, Sahar.

The “Dangal” actor had narrated her ordeal on Instagram via live video.

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After the matter came to light, a woman police officer was sent to the hotel, where the actor is staying, to record her statement and a case was registered against an unidentified person at the Sahar police station.

In the video, which Wasim recorded immediately after deboarding, she broke down several times. “Right behind me a middle-aged man made my two-hour journey miserable. I tried to record it on phone to understand it better because the cabin lights were dimmed, I failed to get it...” she said. “The lights were dimmed, so it was even worse. It continued for another five to 10 minutes and then I was sure of it. He kept nudging my shoulder and continued to move his foot up and down my back and neck,” the Kashmiri teen  said in the post.

“This is not done, I am disturbed... Is this how you're going to take care of girls? This is not the way anybody should be made to feel. This is terrible!” she said. “No one will help us if we don't decide to help ourselves. And this is the worst thing,” she added. 

The Maharashtra State Commission for Women has sought an inquiry into the “shameful” incident. — PTI