Shimla, June 20
In a shocking incident from Chopal area of district Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, 11 schoolgirls have accused a middle-aged man of sexually harassing them at different times. The girls, students of a local school, reported that the accused touched them inappropriately when they visited his shop. The police have registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act based on a complaint filed by the school’s Sexual Harassment Committee chairperson.
The accused, fled the scene before the FIR was lodged. The police have initiated a search operation to locate him. He is a resident of Bhudak Khagna village in Chopal. According to reports, the girls were harassed when they went to buy items from his shop. The accused not only ran a shop but also attempted inappropriate behaviour with 11 girls from grades seven to eleven.
One of the victims confided in the school’s head girl, who then reported the matter to the chairperson of the Sexual Harassment Committee on June 15. Subsequently, 11 girls presented their accounts to the committee, detailing the inappropriate touching and molestation by the shopkeeper.
On June 18, the School Management Committee (SMC) convened a meeting and decided to escalate the matter to the police. A formal complaint was lodged yesterday, and the police have since registered a case under the POCSO Act.
After trying number of times HimachalScape could not reach out to the concerned police authority but reportedly, SHO Chopal Manoj Thakur confirmed that the complaint was received and a case has been registered. The accused is currently absconding, but efforts are underway to apprehend him soon.
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