There have been at least three women who have suffered at the hands of the yet-unidentified man, who also follows them home
CCTV grab of the man who allegedly stalks women
An unidentified man, believed to be in his early 30s, has been stalking women living in upscale South Mumbai (SoBo) buildings. He allegedly trespasses into these buildings, masturbates, and locks the victims’ doors from the outside before leaving the area, only to target another woman during afternoon hours.
Local residents fear that this “sex pest” could also target international tourists frequenting the areas near the Gateway of India and Colaba Causeway. Over the past 15 days, at least three to four women have reportedly been stalked by this individual, according to residents. He appears to target women who are alone in the Colaba Causeway and nearby areas, particularly in the post-lunch hours.
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“We learned that one of the victims had called the Mumbai police when this creep stalked her. Although two constables arrived at her doorstep, no action was taken. If the police had arrested him that day, he wouldn’t have been able to harass other women in Colaba,” said Parvez Cooper, a local social activist, speaking to mid-day.
CCTV grab of the unidentified man who allegedly stalks women
The most recent incident occurred on December 11 at 3.48 pm. The man reportedly followed a woman into her building, climbed the staircase behind her, and paused while she unlocked her door. As she hurriedly shut the door behind her, he looked directly at the CCTV camera, unzipped his pants, and began masturbating. Before leaving, he locked the latch of her door from the outside.
“This is truly shocking—it happened in a plush residential building in Colaba. The man has no fear of the law and has been targeting women in this area,” said Subhash Motwani, a local resident. Although the Colaba police have been informed about the incident, an FIR had not been registered at the time of going to press. However, Zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dr Pravin Mundhe confirmed that three teams have been formed to trace the stalker.
Women in the Colaba area now live in constant fear of being stalked or flashed by this man. “This man stalks women, flashes in front of them, and even tries to enter their homes. He locks the gates from the outside before fleeing the premises,” said a source from Colaba. The matter came to light after an elderly woman was stalked on December 11. CCTV footage of the incident was shared among local residents, prompting several women to come forward with similar accounts of harassment over the past few days.
Most residential buildings in Colaba are old heritage structures without private security guards, making them easy targets for trespassers. “The lack of security allows anyone to enter these buildings. This stalker has been targeting women in Colaba for the past two weeks,” said Cooper. Subhash Motwani added, “Hundreds of elderly women live alone in Colaba. This man is a serious threat to society, and the police must arrest him immediately.”
The residents have also expressed concerns about the growing number of hawkers in South Mumbai, noting that the streets were only cleared for the recent oath-taking ceremony of the Maharashtra government. “If the complainant is unwilling to file an FIR, the police should act suo motu to arrest the accused. Unfortunately, no action has been taken,” said a resident.
Speculating on the stalker’s identity, another resident added, “Considering his pattern, this sex pest is likely one of the hawkers who illegally occupy the footpaths near the semi-commercial hub in SoBo.” A local source lamented, “The governance in Colaba is worse than in rural areas. We had to involve local politicians to pressure the police into taking action. Even then, no FIR has been registered. How will the police catch the accused?”
On Thursday, a group of citizens met local politicians and visited the Colaba police station and the DCP’s office to demand action. “The DCP has assured us of all possible help,” said a source. “Today there is no senior inspector in Colaba police station. God forbid, if a serious issue arises, how police will handle the situation? It is a total mess!” he added.
DCP Dr Mundhe said, “We have formed three teams to trace the accused. An FIR has not been registered because none of the women are willing to record their statements. However, we will take suo motu action and register the case.” When asked why the stalker was not apprehended earlier when a woman had called the police, Mundhe responded, “Apparently, the accused fled before our team arrived. However, we will arrest him soon. We have a zero-tolerance policy for crimes against women.”
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