A man was arrested for allegedly molesting a woman on Diwali night at Garfa in the southeastern fringes of the city, police said.

In her complaint, the woman alleged that the man molested her while she was bursting firecrackers on Monday night.

When she raised an alarm, the man tried to deny the charge.

Ritesh Singh was arrested after a specific case was drawn up based on the woman’s complaint with Garfa police station.

The police said the woman had come to a friend’s place to attend Kali Puja on Monday evening.

In the evening, the complainant joined the men and women gathered on the
house terrace to light firecrackers.

The woman told the police that the group, which was busy bursting fireworks, comprised mostly people known to each other. There were a few invitees as well.

“When the incident happened, some of the members of the group were busy chatting among themselves
at one end of the terrace, and the woman said she was bursting some firecrackers at the other end,” a senior police officer of the South Suburban Division of the Kolkata Police said.

“The accused allegedly approached the complainant and molested her under the pretext of setting off firecrackers,” said the officer.

Police said the accused is the husband of the woman’s friend’s sister.

“We will gather statements of some of those who were present at the house on Monday evening as a part of the investigation,” the police officer said.