French Consulate Staffer Molested in Bandra; Mumbai Police Track and Arrest Attacker via CCTV within 24 Hours
A 27-year-old French national working at the French Consulate was molested in Bandra West. Mumbai police used over 50 CCTVs, traced the scooterist, and arrested him within a day.
Pune | November18,2025: A serious incident of molestation has raised concerns about women’s safety in Mumbai’s Bandra area. A 27-year-old French national employed by the French Consulate was allegedly molested while walking alone late at night near her residence, prompting swift action by the Mumbai Police that resulted in the arrest of the accused within 24 hours.
According to police sources, the incident took place around midnight in the Bandra West locality on 8 November 2025. The victim, returning from a friend’s residence in Pali Hill, noticed a scooterist following her. The scooter stopped next to her, and the rider allegedly touched her inappropriately before fleeing the scene. The consulate staffer reported the matter to the Khar police station shortly afterward and a formal complaint was lodged on 14 November.
In response, a special team was constituted under senior police officers who immediately began scanning CCTV footage and coordinating with private-camera network operators. Investigators reviewed over 50 camera feeds along the victim’s path and identified the scooter’s number, the route taken and the accused’s residence in Dharavi. Moneycontrol+1 The accused was identified as 25-year-old Sunil Vishnu Waghela, a scrap-dealer by profession. He was arrested late Saturday night, less than 24 hours after the complaint was registered.
The case has been registered under Section 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (for assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and investigation is ongoing to determine motive, whether the accused had been stalking the victim, and if he has any prior record.
Women’s-safety activists have pointed out that the incident once again brings into focus the vulnerabilities faced by women walking alone in late hours in urban areas, even in well-known, populated localities such as Bandra. They say the rapid investigation and arrest are commendable, but emphasise that preventive infrastructure, more visible policing and community awareness remain weak links. In particular, areas such as Pali Hill and Sherly Rajan Road, with fewer night-patrols and shadowed lanes, are being flagged for heightened scrutiny.
For the victim, the trauma of the incident has had psychological impact. Reports suggest she avoided leaving home for two days after the incident and relied on friends for support. The consulate’s noticing of the issue and the quick police action have been welcomed, but locals say that many such cases involving foreign nationals go unreported due to fear, social stigma or language barriers.
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