Mumbai: In a shocking incident, the Mumbai Police has arrested a man for allegedly stalking and harassing minor girls. the accused, identified as Asgar Shamsuddin Ansari, had targeted 12-year-old girls playing in a housing society.

The report added that the man was arrested from Chembur and a case was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 78, 79, and the POCSO Act. The accused has been arrested and is in custody and further investigation in the case is underway.

Meanwhile, this case came just day after on April 15, a man accused of sexually exploiting at least 180 minor girls and recording more than 350 obscene videos has been arrested in Maharashtra’s Amravati district.

The accused, identified as Mohammad Ayaz, also known as Tanveer and a resident of Paratwada city, allegedly lured minor girls into a ‘love trap’ before taking them to cities such as Mumbai and Pune, where he is suspected of having recorded objectionable videos of them.

Moreover, his background has also come under scrutiny as he has allegedly been associated with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in the past. Social media posts showed him participating in political events and interacting with local leaders.

According to details shared in a memorandum submitted by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Anil Bonde to Superintendent of Police, Rural, Vishal Anand, the accused systematically targeted minors through social media platforms, including WhatsApp and Snapchat groups. Police action followed soon after, with the accused being taken into custody and sent to seven days of police custody. His mobile phone has been seized, and officials confirmed that it contains several objectionable videos which are now being examined as part of the investigation.

Authorities in Maharashtra’s Amravati district carried out a demolition drive at the residence of Mohammad Ayaz, the prime accused in a shocking case involving the alleged exploitation of minor girls, as part of action against illegal construction linked to him. The operation was conducted in Paratwada city by officials of the Achalpur Municipal Council, who demolished unauthorised portions of the one-storey house. 

Mumbai: As part of the review of works before the monsoon, the work of desilting major and minor drains has been started in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Dr. Vipin Sharma today (April 15, 2026) inspected the drain cleaning works in H East Division, H West Division, K North and K South Divisions.

Sharma personally visited major drains like Mogra Nallah, Vakola Nallah, Krishna Nagar Nallah, Andheri Bhuvari Marg, SNDT Nallah as well as Bazaar Nallah, Guruare Nallah, Apex Nallah in Bandra and reviewed the work of desilting the drains. He also gave necessary instructions. The floating garbage and waste in the drains should be removed immediately. The drain cleaning work should be ensured to be 100% completed by May 31, 2026 in any case. Sharma directed the municipal corporation officers to coordinate with the local public representatives and inform them about the cleaning of drains from time to time. Local Corporator and Market and Garden Committee Chairperson Hetal Gala, Corporator Chintamani Navati, Corporator Raja Rahbar Khan, Corporator Ritesh Roy, Corporator Rohini Kamble, Corporator Anjali Sawant, Assistant Commissioner Dinesh Pallavad, Assistant Commissioner Mahesh Patil, Assistant Commissioner Nitin Shukla, Assistant Commissioner Mridula Ande along with concerned officers were present.

A theft incident is being claimed in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Standing Committee. It has been alleged that Rs 20,000 in cash was stolen from the purse of Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray’s party corporator Lakshmi Bhatia. There has been a stir after the incident came to light. The Standing Committee meeting was held today. Bhatia also attended it and kept her purse in the Standing Committee hall. She left her purse there and went to have food. But after the pleasure of burning incense, when she looked at the purse, the purse chain was open. When she checked the purse, she found that Rs 20,000 had been stolen from it. She informed her fellow municipal corporators about this. But since there was no CCTV at the place where the incident took place, it is difficult to verify the incident. The police have been informed about the alleged theft. The MS department and the security department have also been informed about the incident. Along with this, the mayor, the opposition party and the members of the standing committee have been informed about the incident. After this incident, Lakshmi Bhatia suspected that the purse had been tampered with, she also brought the matter to the attention of other fellow corporators. At that time, Lakshmi Bhatia saw that the money had been stolen from the purse. This is the first incident of theft in the committee hall. What action will the police take in this matter now? It remains to be seen. Lakshmi Bhatia has given her reaction to this incident.
The standing committee is considered the treasury of the municipal corporation, if this is happening in this place, what can we say about security? Lakshmi Bhatia raised an angry question. Meanwhile, MNS group chief Yashwant Kalidar also criticized the municipality over this incident and said, “If the security situation in the hall itself is like this, what will happen to the security of ordinary Mumbaikars?” he said. Due to this incident, the issue of security arrangements in the municipal building has come to the fore once again and the demand for accountability is gaining momentum.
“Today there was a meeting of our standing committee, after the meeting we all went for lunch, at that time my purse was there, some staff were present inside, someone opened my purse and took out Rs 20,000 from my purse, regarding this we met the women of the MS department, we told them the whole incident, so we told them that there are no CCTV cameras there, but there are no CCTV cameras there. The matter came there, we have lodged a complaint with them,” said Lakshmi Bhatia. I met the mayor and everyone else, I told the mayor and the standing committee chairman about this matter, I do not suspect anyone but if the corporators are not safe in the municipal corporation, then what will happen to the rest? All the corporators always go for lunch in five to ten minutes, how right is it to open the purses of women corporators? “Only the cash was stolen, the rest of the charger and other items were kept outside.” Corporator Lakshmi Bhatia said, “I have a fellow corporator who is with me in the standing committee, he has seen how those things were lying. He has also seen in what condition the wallet was when I left and how it was when I arrived. If the wallets of corporators are not safe in the municipal corporation, then what will happen to the general public?”