Mumbai: A 50-year-old man has been arrested by the Mulund Police for allegedly raping a 13-year-old minor boy for eight months.
The accused is identified as Daya Shankar Zamindar Rajbhar.
According to the police, the matter first came to light on September 18, when a man, who was a neighbour of the victim, spotted the boy with the accused near a public washroom in Mulund's LBS Road.
In the statement to the police, the neighbour revealed that this was not the first instance of seeing the two enter the public toilet together. He had previously dismissed their visits, believing they were merely using the facilities and nothing more. However, this time, he decided to follow them inside when he saw the boy being sexually exploited by Rajbhar.
The neighbour immediately rescued the boy and informed his father about the situation. The victim’s father then asked him to explain what Rajbhar had been doing to him, leading to the disturbing details coming to light. They all rushed to Mulund police station and reported the incident to the authorities.
In his statement, the victim, a Class 9 student, revealed that Rajbhar first coerced him in February by offering treats such as chocolates and snacks. Rajbhar then lured him into washrooms, where he sexually assaulted him. Over time, Rajbhar began threatening to kill the boy’s parents to continue the exploitation.
Following the filing of the FIR, police arrested Rajbhar on September 19. Authorities reported that while Rajbhar confessed to the crime, he exhibited abnormal behaviour during questioning. Rajbhar is currently remanded to police custody.
The accused has been charged under multiple sections of sexual harassment and sexual assault, as outlined in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
