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Journalism of Courage
A 40-year-old man from Malegaon was arrested in Mahabaleshwar on Saturday for allegedly taking unsolicited photographs of a tourist in the market area.
The accused, identified as Taufiq Istiyaq Ahmad, a resident of Nayapura in Malegaon taluka in Nashik district, was presented in court on Sunday and sent to 14 days’ judicial custody.
The incident took place when a girl from Pune, who had come to Mahabaleshwar with her family for a holiday trip, was shopping in the market. Noticing Ahmad taking her pictures on his mobile phone, the girl informed her family, who then alerted Mahabaleshwar police. The police detained Ahmad and his friends for questioning.
Although the girl and her family chose not to lodge a formal complaint, they requested the police to delete the photos in his phone. Despite their reluctance to pursue the matter further, the police proceeded to register a case against Ahmad and have confiscated his mobile phone.
The case is being investigated by police sub-inspector Rupali Kale under the guidance of police inspector Bapusaheb Sandbhor. Speaking to The Indian Express, Kale said, “The accused and his friends had come to Mahabaleshwar for a trip, just like the girl and her family…Investigation is still ongoing.”
Kale further confirmed that Ahmad has no prior criminal record. When asked why the girl and her family were hesitant to file a complaint, Kale said, “The girl was scared. She is from Pune and not familiar with Mahabaleshwar. All she wanted was the pictures to be deleted.”
Police have booked Ahmad under Sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty) and 79 (acts intended to insult a woman’s modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
