Mumbai: A 42-year-old man has been arrested by the Mulund police for allegedly raping and sexually assaulting his own 10-year-old niece.
According to police officials, the rape took place on August 15 and 16 but the matter only surfaced on September 16. The matter was first prompted by the doctors of MT Agarwal Hospital where the parents of the victim had taken her for check up after she complained about unbearable abdominal pain. While the doctor was examining her, the girl told the doctor what happened on August 15 and 16.
In her statement to the doctors and police, the girl said that on those two days, when her parents were out, her uncle (father’s brother) came to the house as usual. She said her uncle touched her like he did previously for many years.
“The girl said that the accused taught her about “good touch and bad touch” by touching her inappropriately. Later on those two days, he raped her. On the second day i.e., August 16, when he saw blood coming out of the victim’s private part, he threatened to kill her parents if she told them anything. Hence, the victim kept quiet all through till September 16 but her unbearable abdominal pain was noticed by her parents eventually,” said a police source.
The doctors who were treating the victim at MT Agarwal suggested the family move her to Sion Hospital as her injuries were serious. Sources revealed that she suffered signs and symptoms of vaginal trauma due to rape including abdominal pain, bleeding, bruising, etc.
During further questioning, the girl revealed that the accused had threatened to kill her parents and showed her a gruesome murder video on his mobile phone, warning he would do the same to them, revealed police sources.
After hearing the victim’s account, the doctors immediately alerted the Mulund police, who registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the victim's uncle. They recorded statements from both the victim and her parents, and conducted the necessary medical examination.
The accused, who lives in the same vicinity as the victim, was arrested the next day from his residence. Employed at a call centre, he was presented in court and remanded to police custody until Monday, September 23.
Police said that the accused has been charged with sections 64 (2) (f) (rape by a relative), 65 (2) (rape on woman under 12 years of age) and 351 (3) (criminal intimidation by threatening to cause death) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and sections 4 (penetrative sexual assault), 5 (n) (aggravated penetrative sexual assault by a relative of the child), 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault), 8 (sexual assault), 10 (aggravated sexual assault) among others of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.
