Mumbai: Malad Police have arrested a 48-year-old man for allegedly sexually assaulting and raping two of his daughters, aged 12 and nine, over the last few months. The arrest was made after one of the neighbours confided in police about a suspicion during a Mohalla Committee meeting in the area. The man has been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Amid rising cases of sexual assault and crimes against women in the city, the Mumbai Police had recently arranged a meeting to address the problems the people are facing and encouraging them to come forward, report crimes if they have gone through/witnessed any. In this meeting, a woman approached police and confided in them about a suspicion that a father in her chawl was sexually assaulting one of his daughters.
Based on this tip-off, police raided the house and were shocked to find a 12-year-old in a nude position and immediately rescued her. Police arrested the father and were shocked to learn from the girl that her nine-year-old sister was also subjected to rape and sexual assault by her father. "The girls are immensely traumatized and said that they kept quiet about the sexual assault to keep their five-year-old sister safe. Their mother had walked out on the family last year, which is when the girls were subjected to the crime," said an official.
The minor girls were rescued and sent to a children's home, where they will be given counseling and accommodation. Meanwhile, their father has been booked under relevant sections of the IPC and POCSO Act for rape and sexual assault.
