A 16-year-old girl was allegedly molested on a bus on which she was travelling with her mother on Thursday afternoon.

The mother raised the alarm and ensured that the accused, a 66-year-old man, was handed over to the police by passengers.

The mother and daughter had boarded a private bus from Gopalnagar in Alipore around 2.30pm on Thursday.

They boarded a bus on route number 18C to reach Vidyasagar State General Hospital when the man, later identified as Kashinath Das, a resident of Satyen Roy Road in Behala, allegedly touched the young girl inappropriately.

“According to the mother’s complaint, the man touched her daughter inappropriately several times till she caught and confronted him,” said an officer of Behala Women’s police station, where a formal case was recorded.

The mother shouted at the man and, with the help of other passengers, confronted him, who initially resisted but later reportedly admitted to his offence.

The passengers overpowered the man and dragged him to the nearest police station in Behala. A complaint was lodged with Behala women’s police station. A case has been started.

Das was arrested and charged under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act at the police station.

Deputy commissioner (south west division) Rahul De said charges of outrage of modesty and sexual assault under the Pocso Act have been levelled against the accused.

The girl is a Madhyamik candidate. The Madhyamik exams started on Monday and the third paper, history, is on Friday.

The mother said the girl was traumatised.

The incident has disturbed her preparations for Friday’s exam, said the mother.