07 September,2026 11:52 AM IST | Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondent
Police have launched a manhunt to arrest the accused and are using technical intelligence to track his whereabouts. Representational Pic
A woman passenger was allegedly molested and subjected to an attempted assault by a cab driver on a deserted road near Navi Mumbai Airport late at night, Navi Mumbai Police said on Sunday.
According to police, the incident took place around 1:30 am on the Airport Service Road, approximately two kilometres from Navi Mumbai Airport, ANI reported.
The victim had attended a party in Chembur, following which a friend booked a cab for her journey home to Panvel. While en route, the driver pulled over on a secluded stretch, claiming that he needed to drink water, police said.
"The driver stopped the vehicle on the deserted service road, stepped out briefly, and then re-entered the car, sitting on the rear seat next to the woman. He allegedly grabbed her hand and attempted to disrobe her," a Navi Mumbai Police official said, ANI reported.
The woman managed to break free from the accused before escaping from the vehicle, prompting the driver to flee the scene.
Following the incident, the victim contacted her family and reached Panvel Police Station to register a complaint. As the place of occurrence fell under the jurisdiction of Navi Mumbai Airport Police Station, Panvel Police escorted her to the appropriate police station.
Based on the woman's complaint, Navi Mumbai Airport Police registered a case against the accused, identified as Mohammad Afzal Shaikh, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the news agency reported.
Police have launched a manhunt to arrest the accused and are using technical intelligence to track his whereabouts.
Further investigation into the matter is underway.
In a separate incident, the Bangur Nagar Police in Mumbai have launched a major investigation after a 20-year-old woman alleged that she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by four acquaintances of her husband and an unidentified accomplice at her rented flat in Goregaon West.
According to the complaint, the victim had been living with her husband, who works as a driver, in the Bhagat Singh Nagar area since July 25. Because of his long working hours, she was frequently left home alone during the daytime.
The victim stated that an unidentified man who had seen her returning home entered her house during the first week of July while she was sleeping and sexually assaulted her. Frightened by the incident, she did not immediately tell anyone.
Two days later, two acquaintances of her husband, identified in the complaint as Sultan and Ankush, arrived under the pretence of retrieving the landlord's belongings. Once inside, they allegedly locked the door, beat her when she resisted, and sexually assaulted her.
The following day, two more acquaintances, identified as Talib and Raja, allegedly entered the home while she was alone and assaulted her again. Intimidated by the suspects, the victim kept silent and did not inform her husband and parents or reach out to the Mumbai Police.
(With ANI inputs)
