Maharashtra: BJP worker booked for 'outraging woman's modesty' at temple in Thane

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The police have registered two cases against a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker on the charges of outraging the modesty of a woman at a temple in Maharashtra's Thane city, an officer said on Friday.

According to the police, the incident occurred during a meeting convened by local leaders at a temple to review preparations for the Ganeshotsav 2024 festivities, reported news agency PTI.

A case has been registered against BJP worker Vijay Tripathi and three others under sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 298 (injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the above-quoted officer said.

As per the woman's complaint, the accused allegedly entered a temple wearing footwear to attend a meeting for the Ganeshotsav 2024 celebrations on Wednesday night. When the complainant objected to it, the two accused touched her inappropriately, the officer said.

The first information reports (FIRs) against Tripathi and the other three accused was filed on Thursday following complaints lodged by the woman as well as another man who accused the four men of verbally abusing him and passing remarks about his caste. According to the man, the four accused hurled abuses at him during a meeting called by former corporator from Shiv Sena Vikas Repale, the officer said.

A case under sections 115 (2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of BNS and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, was registered against Tripathi and the other accused, he said.

The police had earlier registered a case against Repale over an attack on a 25-year-old Dalit man after the meeting at the temple. Talking to the media, Repale claimed he was not present at the spot, and his name was dragged into the matter owing to an old rivalry.

In another similar incident from the city, in August, the Thane Police registered a case against four people for molesting a woman and assaulting her two friends after a minor road accident.

(With PTI inputs)