An Indian-origin man last week pleaded guilty to assaulting young women on trains pretending to be palm reader.
Ajay Chopra, 41, of Bendigo in Victoria, pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent behaviour and two charges of attempted assault in the Victorian county court Thursday, the Melbourne Age reported.
Chopra allegedly terrorised women aged between 20 and 30, between February and August 2011 as they travelled on V/Line trains from Bendigo to Melbourne.
The court heard that he approached the women offering to read their palms.
Chopra will undergo psychological assessment before his hearing resumes.
He applied to the court to suppress his identity because he said he was embarrassed about his identity being published.
Judge Gerard Mullaly, however, said there was not a “skerrick” of a reason to suppress proceedings so long as Chopra’s victims were not identified.
Chopra’s bail was extended on condition that he surrendered his passport, did not leave Australia and reported to police twice a week.
He is also banned from catching any train between Bendigo and Melbourne.
The hearing of the case will be resumed June 23.
Published in The Indian Sun (Indian Newspaper in Melbourne)
Donate To The Indian Sun
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun is an independent organisation committed to community journalism. We have, through the years, been able to reach a wide audience especially with the growth of social media, where we also have a strong presence. With platforms such as YouTube videos, we have been able to engage in different forms of storytelling. However, the past few years, like many media organisations around the world, it has not been an easy path. We have a greater challenge. We believe community journalism is very important for a multicultural country like Australia. We’re not able to do everything, but we aim for some of the most interesting stories and journalism of quality. We call upon readers like you to support us and make any contribution. Do make a DONATION NOW so we can continue with the volume and quality journalism that we are able to practice.
Thank you for your support.
Best wishes,
Team The Indian Sun
