MAPUSA
Mapusa Police arrested a 36-year-old man, Stanley Coutinho, for allegedly molesting a minor girl in a residential building, following a failed kidnapping attempt late Thursday evening in Khalap-vaddo, Canca.
The accused, a resident of Tivai-vaddo, Calangute, was caught on CCTV attempting to abduct the child.
His attempt was thwarted after quick-thinking locals raised an alarm, forcing him to abandon the girl and flee the scene.
According to police sources, Coutinho is a known repeat offender with at least five previous cases registered against him.
“The CCTV footage from the residential building was instrumental in identifying and apprehending the accused,” a senior officer said.
Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred when the accused allegedly picked up the child from outside her apartment.
The girl’s cries for help alerted nearby residents, who immediately rushed to the spot. Realising he had been noticed, the accused dropped the child and escaped on foot.
