Thane cops on lookout for man accused of raping minor in Titwala

Thane rural police have launched a manhunt for a 25-year-old man from Titwala in the district who is accused of raping a five-year-old girl.

As per the First Information Report, the accused, who lived in the same neighbourhood as the child,  called her to his house on Monday and allegedly raped her.

After the girl's family registered a case on Tuesday, the accused became untraceable, said a police official. Police are looking for the man, he added.

Maulana convicted for sexually assaulting a minor

Mumbai special court recently convicted a maulana [Muslim cleric] to 20-year-term for sexually assaulting a minor who used to go to his house to study the Quran.

The court also refused to accept the contention of the accused that he was falsely implicated in the case due to religious enmity. The accused was found guilty under section 376 AB (sexual assault on a girl below 12 years of age) of the Indian Penal Code and section 6 (penetrative sexual assault) of the POCSO Act.

Assualted, threatened her

On May 6, 2019, when the victim had gone for her classes, the accused sexually assaulted her and threatened her with dire consequences if she spoke to anyone about it. The girl returned home and later told her mother about the assault, following which a case was registered against the accused.

The accused had claimed that it was a false case filed by the victim's family due to religious enmity, as they belong to the Sunni sect while he belongs to the Deobandi sect. He further alleged that the victim and her family members were illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.