Mumbai: Serial molester preying around colleges held

Kalpesh Gopinath Devghare

A serial molester, who targeted more than 18 victims outside colleges and tuition classes, has been arrested by the Juhu police. The police said Kalpesh Gopinath Devghare, 31, had been arrested in 2020 in a case registered at Vile Parle and was currently out on bail. A resident of Charni Road in Girgaon, he worked as a driver and usually targetted girls and women in the age group 15-20 years.

The serial molester, who was nabbed by the police, would loiter near colleges and private coaching classes looking for girls to prey on. Kalpesh Gopinath Devghare would follow his victims, waiting for them to pass through secluded areas, where he would attack and molest them. He has also been caught on several occasions while masturbating on the road.

Devghare has cases against him at DN Nagar, Dindoshi, Kandivali, Pant Nagar, Goregaon, Chumabhatti, Park Site, Bangur Nagar, Govandi, Powai, Sion, Kurla, Vile Parle and Juhu police stations. "Devghare is unmarried and his family disowned him in 2011 after the D N Nagar police arrested him for molesting a 21-year-old college girl in Andheri West. A dropout at the age of 19, he had even molested girls in his college," said an officer.

The accused was disowned by his family in 2011. Representation pic

In 2012, Devghare was charged with kidnapping a 15-year-old schoolgirl while she was returning from her tuition class at night in Ghatkopar. Devghare took her to a remote area and molested her. The Pant Nagar police managed to nab him with the help of CCTV footage of the area. Earlier, in 2011, Devghare kidnapped two minors, aged 15 and 14 years, in separate instances, and molested them. He was arrested by the D N Nagar police and Dindoshi police for these crimes.

"Recently, on May 25, Devghare molested a 19-year-old college girl who was returning home via the station road at Parle East around 12.10 am. He followed the girl, unzipped his paint and started masturbating in front of the girl. She managed to escape but a few minutes later, he stopped an 18-year-old girl and did the same thing. He fled after she shouted for help," said an officer, adding that the girl immediately informed the Vile Parle police and resigned an FIR against the unknown accused.

Devghare's luck, however, ran out on Monday (June 5) when he tried to molest a 19-year-old girl in a narrow lane in the Juhu area. "She was on her way to purchase something when Devghare caught hold of her in a dark place. He molested her and tried to rape her on the road when the girl shouted for help and locals rushed to the spot," said the officer.

A team from Juhu police, led by Assistant Police Inspector Vijay Dhotre, rushed to the spot after receiving information that Devghare was trying to escape from the area. He was nabbed by the police, with help from the locals, after a chase. "We have arrested Devghare who is involved in more than 18 cases of molestation across the city," Senior Inspector Ajit Vartak of Juhu police station said.

According to Dhotre, Devghare would frequently change his place of residence, after he committed crimes. "He is a serial molester who targeted girls aged 15-20 years. We suspect he is involved in many more crimes of molestation. We are checking all the previous cases registered and CCTV footage of the areas where the incidents took place. We are also coordinating with other police stations where similar incidents have been reported," he said.

2012
Year he was charged for kidnapping a schoolgirl

15-20 yrs
Age of girls and women the accused targetted