A muezzin, the mosque official who proclaims the call to prayer, has been booked for sexually assaulting a nine-year-old boy in Kondhwa, Pune, on November 10.
The incident was brought to light when the victim’s parents shared the ordeal with a relative, who then filed a First Information Report (FIR) at Kondhwa Police Station.
According to the FIR filed on November 15, the minor had gone to offer afternoon prayers at the mosque. Subsequently, after others had left, the muezzin took the minor and his friend to his room under the guise of teaching them prayers. Later, the accused asked the friend to leave and then sexually assaulted the minor.
The police have charged the accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.