Mumbai : In two separate incidents, three children became victims of sexual abuse on the same day. The three children, aged six, three and 13, were allegedly sexually assaulted by faces familiar to them.
The first incident occurred inside a prominent church in Govandi area of Shivaji Nagar in city. The accused has been identified as Father Johnson Lawrence, 52, who holds the post of a priest-in-charge at the church.
On November 27, the 13-year-old victim accompanied by his parents attended the church proceedings in the evening. After the mass, the victim’s parents met up with other friends and left the church. The boy, who was also talking to his friends, suddenly found himself alone inside the church. He decided to sit there for sometime before leaving.
Police officials said that Lawrence approached him asking for help to move some items to the store room. The minor has alleged that Lawrence took him to a room and tried to sexually assault him. When the victim resisted, Lawrence allegedly threatened him and said he would harm his parents if he cried out or shouted for help and sexually assaulted him.
At home, the boy complained of pain in his genital area and started crying. When his mother enquired, the boy revealed the incident to her. The parents then approached the police.
The Shivaji Nagar police, who are yet to arrest the accused, confirmed the incident. The accused has been booked under various sections of the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO) and IPC Section 376 (Rape) and 377 (Unnatural offences).
In the second incident, the Shahu Nagar police have arrested Shadik Ansari, 20, who works in a shop at Dharavi. Police said the cousins — a six-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy — were residents of Matunga Labour Camp area in Dharavi.
Around 5.30 pm on Monday, the two children were playing outside their residential building. Ansari, who knew the children, approached them and lured them to his shop by offering them chocolates. “At the shop, he undressed them and sexually assaulted them one after the other,” said a police officer.
“The children reached home crying and the girl narrated the incident to her aunt following which the family approached us,” said the officer. Ansari has been booked under relevant sections of the POCSO Act and sections 376 (Rape) and 363 (Kidnapping) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
