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Actress Aaditi Pohankar, known for her role in Netflix’s 'She' and Bobby Deol's 'Aashram', recently opened up about a disturbing incident from her past where she was molested by a schoolboy while travelling on a Mumbai local train.
In an interview with Hauterrfly, the actor also revealed that she has been a victim of harassment multiple times since childhood.
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Incident on the Mumbai Local
Recalling a traumatic event from her high school days, Pohankar shared with Hauterrfly that she was traveling in the ladies’ coach of a local train, where schoolboys under the age of 18 were also permitted. It was during one such journey that a school-going boy inappropriately touched her.
“I was wearing a kurta. I had no idea he had this intention towards me, and when he did, I went into a state of shock,” she said. She immediately got off at the next station and approached the police.
Police Response and Action
Pohankar expressed her disappointment with the response she received from law enforcement officers. “The cops said, ‘Arre thik hai, kuch hua kya zyada?’ (Did anything major happen?). I replied, ‘Mentally mereko harassment hua’ (I was mentally harassed),” she recounted.
Despite the police's initial reluctance, she spotted the same boy at the station attempting to harass another girl. When she pointed him out, the police questioned her for proof. “I told them, ‘I am telling you he did it to me. Why would I lie?’” she said.
Confronting the Accused
A female constable accompanied Pohankar to confront the boy. Initially, he denied any wrongdoing. However, when she forcefully confronted him and acted as if she was going to hit him, the boy panicked and confessed.
“He finally admitted to his deeds and apologized. I held him by his collar and asked him, ‘Aur kisi ke saath karega? Inke saamne bol’ (Will you do this to anyone else? Say it in front of them),” she recalled.
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Aaditi Pohankar’s Rising Career
Pohankar gained national recognition for her lead role in She and has since been praised for her performance in Aashram Season 3 Part 2, where she stars alongside Bobby Deol. Her revelation about the incident has sparked discussions about safety for women in public spaces, particularly on public transport, where cases of harassment often go unreported.
