Nagpur, Dharampeth - In a disturbing incident, an 81-year-old landlord, Shriram Maruti Patil, has been booked for allegedly molesting minor girl students who were staying as paying guests in his house in Ambedkar Nagar, Dharampeth. The case came to light after the victims, who had endured harassment for 10 days, lodged a complaint at Sitabuldi Police Station on Wednesday.

The accused, a retired employee, lives with his ill wife and accommodates several girl students preparing for engineering entrance exams as paying guests. The girls, being from an outer district, rely on his residence for their stay.

According to the complaint, the incident occurred on June 22 when the girls returned from the library at around 5:30 PM. As one of the girls entered the house, Patil allegedly grabbed her inappropriately. Terrified by his behavior, the student kept silent about the incident initially. However, the harassment continued, prompting the girls to finally approach the authorities.

Following the complaint, the police registered a case against Patil under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Patil was summoned to the Sitabuldi Police Station for questioning on Thursday. During the initial interrogation, he denied the allegations. He was subsequently released, causing panic among the victims and their families.

Further distress arose when one of the girls discovered Patil observing her through a window, prompting her to take measures to maintain privacy. Another student later confided in her classmate about a similar experience of misconduct by Patil.

The situation escalated when, on the night of July 2, Patil allegedly attempted to enter the girls' room late at night, prompting them to barricade themselves inside. The next day, on July 3, they formally reported the incident to the authorities.

As investigations continue, authorities are committed to ensuring justice and support for the affected students.