Mumbai: Auto driver held for sexually assaulting 9-yr-old

Mumbai: A 32-year-old auto-rickshaw driver was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a nine-year-old minor girl. The suspect, Sajid Ali Haider Shaikh, was arrested in 2019 for a similar offence, said the Trombay police. 

In the latest case, the victim was sexually assaulted on April 12, however, she was too terrified to share her ordeal. The behavioural changes in the minor worried the family as she kept herself isolated even during the Eid celebrations. She also appeared weak and traumatised. 

Victim's mother approached police; CCTV footage helps identify accused

On Monday, the victim's mother took the minor and her three elder sisters to a restaurant. The family tried to cheer up the minor who subsequently started crying inconsolably and finally revealed how the abhorrent act took place. She said that on the night of April 12 when she stepped out for an errand, an unknown man approached her and took her near a public toilet under the pretext of helping him in finding an address. The minor said that the man groped her chest, stomach and private parts. 

After coming to know about the incident, the mother immediately approached the police. The CCTV footage from the crime spot helped the cops in identifying the suspect. The screengrab was even shown to the minor for confirmation. “The moment she saw his photo, she panicked and started crying loudly,” said the police.

Finally, Shaikh was arrested from his residence at B-Sector, Cheetah Camp. He has been booked under Indian Penal Code sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment) as well as section 8 (sexual assault) and 12 (sexual harassment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

Shaikh was remanded to judicial custody on Wednesday.