25 police teams nab Chandigarh's ‘serial molester’

CHANDIGARH: More than 25 teams of the district crime cell and different police stations managed to nab a serial molester from Sector 23 on Monday night. The accused, a BSc graduate, had been working as a gym trainer in Mohali. UT Police registered two cases of rape and molestation against him in June this year. Police produced him in a local court on Tuesday and obtained his police remand for further interrogation.
The accused has been identified as Sawan Bhatti, 28, a resident of Sector 49, Chandigarh.He worked in a gym in phase 5, Mohali.
The first incident took place at a park in Sector 16 at around 11.30pm on May 20. The victim was walking alone when the accused came and started molesting her. She said that he fled from the spot on a white Activa scooter. She filed a complaint with the Sector 17 police and a case was registered. The second incident came to light on June 10. The victim told the police that the accused stopped her on the pretext of asking for an address in Sector 15 and dragged her on to his scooter.
She said that he took her to an isolated place in Sector 15, where he allegedly sexually molested her and sped away after snatching her gold jewellery. Sector 11 police recorded the woman’s statement and registered a rape case. Both victims gave a similar description of the accused.
After both incidents, 25 teams from different police stations were formed under the supervision of district crime cell to search for the accused.
Police teams set up regular night nakas in the city for more than one month. On Monday, the Sector 17 police team laid a naka near the lightpoint of Sector 23 and nabbed the accused while he was travelling on his Activa scooter which he used in both crimes, claimed the police.
According to the police, the accused admitted that he had molested more women in Mohali and Chandigarh. The accused used cycle tracks and slips roads to avoid being caught in smart CCTV cameras installed on traffic junctions before and after committing a crime.