Thane: Food Stall Owner Arrested for Assaulting School Girl in Titwala

Thane, 11th March 2025: A food stall proprietor was arrested for sexually assaulting a school girl at her home on Sunday after he had been following her. When the girl informed her mother about the incident, her 12-year-old sister disclosed that she had also been molested by the same man the previous week. The suspect, identified as 22-year-old Hemant Pawar, was taken into custody by the Kalyan Taluka Police the same day.

Pawar operated a Chinese food stall located at the entrance of the victim’s residential area in Titwala. According to the 14-year-old victim’s testimony, she was alone at home when Pawar forcibly entered without permission. She reported that he confessed to following her home from school and then attempted to restrain her by grabbing her hand. When she resisted, he pushed her onto the bed and tried to rape her.

Her screams for assistance alerted nearby residents, which caused Pawar to flee. Later that evening, when her mother returned from work, the girl recounted the ordeal. During this conversation, her younger sister broke down and revealed that she too had been molested by Pawar while going home from school the week before but had managed to escape.

Their mother promptly took action by contacting the police and filing a complaint, demanding stringent measures against Pawar. He has been charged under Section 74 (assaulting a woman to outrage her modesty), Section 78 (stalking), and various provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

Residents have voiced their worries about increasing harassment incidents and are calling on law enforcement to implement stricter safety measures for women. A police officer stated, “We are dedicated to ensuring the safety and security of everyone, particularly women, in our community. We encourage the public to report such incidents without delay.”