By Sunil Sonker
Mussoorie, 17 Feb: Chaos erupted in the Mall Road area here, today, when locals caught a middle-aged man photographing some young women. Following the incident, a large crowd gathered at the scene, and the man was apprehended and handed over to the police.
According to eyewitnesses, some girls strolling along Mall Road noticed a man constantly taking photos of them with a mobile phone. Suspicious, they raised an alarm, prompting local residents and merchants nearby to apprehend the accused. A crowd quickly gathered, and the situation became tense.
Upon receiving the information, police arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control. The man was taken to the police station, where he was questioned. Preliminary investigation revealed that the man is middle-aged Mohammad Arif Hashmi (44), son of Mohammad Farooq, a resident of MDDA Colony, Dalanwala, Dehradun, and is said to be mentally unstable.
According to police officials, the photo of the young woman taken by the accused have been deleted from his mobile phone.
Mussoorie Police Inspector Devendra Chauhan stated that due to the seriousness of the case, the man was questioned in detail. His family members were also called to the police station. Police stated that the man’s mental state appears to be unstable, but necessary action has been taken against him as per the law. Further action will be decided after examining his family background and past record.
Following the incident, conditions in the Mall Road area remained tense for some time, but the situation returned to normal due to the prompt action of the police. Locals say that being a tourist destination, the safety of women and girls is paramount, and strict action should be taken against such incidents. Police have appealed to the public to immediately report any suspicious activity to the police and not take the law into their own hands. The matter is currently under investigation.
