Union Minister's daughter, friends harassed; 1 arrested, hunt on for 6
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Raksha Khadse.
Jalgaon: Union Minister Raksha Khadse has lodged a police complaint after her daughter and friends were harassed by a group of men at an event in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district. The incident, which took place on Friday night at the Sant Muktai Yatra in Kothali village, led to the arrest of one accused while six others remain at large.
Based on Khadse’s complaint, an FIR was registered at Muktainagar police station. The seven accused have been charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the Information Technology Act, as they allegedly attempted to take pictures and videos of the girls without permission. The arrested individual has been identified as Soham Mali. Police have formed teams to track down the remaining accused.
According to a Muktainagar police station official, the bodyguards accompanying the girls identified the accused. Speaking to the media, Khadse recounted the incident, stating that she had given her daughter permission to attend the event while she was in Gujarat, instructing her to take a security guard and staff members for safety. Despite the precautions, her daughter and friends were followed, pushed, and filmed by the accused. When Khadse’s staff intervened, the harassers resorted to aggressive behavior, and a mob of 30 to 40 people gathered.
Upon returning home on Sunday morning, Khadse’s daughter informed her that the same group had previously misbehaved with her at a public event on February 24. Expressing concern, Khadse remarked, “If such incidents can happen to the daughter of an MP and Union Minister, imagine the plight of common citizens.”
The minister further stated that several locals had informed her about the group’s repeated harassment of girls, including school students in Muktainagar. She has urged strict action against the accused and confirmed that she has spoken to the Chief Minister and the Deputy Superintendent of Police regarding the matter.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while addressing reporters in Raigad, confirmed that those involved in the incident belonged to a political party. “The local police have arrested some of them, and a case has been registered. Strict action will be taken,” he assured.
Eknath Khadse, former minister and NCP (SP) leader, also weighed in on the matter, claiming that the accused had been involved in similar incidents in the past but had not faced any serious consequences. “Several complaints were made against these individuals, but no effective action was taken. These are hardened criminals,” he alleged. He further stated that crimes against women in Maharashtra were rising, with criminals showing no fear of the police.
He also highlighted the reluctance of many victims to come forward due to social stigma. “Many girls do not report harassment, as parents fear that their names will be disclosed. We had no choice but to lodge a complaint,” he said.
Khadse revealed that when they initially approached the police, they were made to wait for two hours and were advised to reconsider filing a complaint due to the sensitive nature of the case. He also claimed that the accused had assaulted police officers in the past and enjoyed political protection.
The incident has sparked political outrage, with Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal criticizing the state government for its failure to maintain law and order. He described the incident as “extremely worrying” and said it demonstrated that women and girls were unsafe in Maharashtra.
“The fact that Union Minister Khadse had to sit in a police station demanding the arrest of the culprits shows the sorry state of law and order under the Mahayuti government,” Sapkal said. He also accused Chief Minister Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, of failing to control rising crimes against women and urged him to resign as Home Minister to make way for a competent replacement.
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Vijay Wadettiwar echoed similar concerns, stating that the harassment of Khadse’s daughter while she was under police protection reflected the deteriorating situation in Maharashtra. “If a minister’s daughter is unsafe despite security guards, what hope do ordinary citizens have? The minister herself had to go to the police station to ensure action was taken,” he said.
Wadettiwar accused the ruling Mahayuti government of shielding criminals, claiming that gangsters operated with political backing. “The government has been exposed by its own Union Minister. Will this incident finally wake up the Chief Minister and the two Deputy Chief Ministers?” he questioned.
As the investigation progresses, authorities have assured swift action against all the accused, while opposition leaders continue to press for accountability and stricter enforcement of law and order.
With PTI inputs