7-Year-Old Girl Gang-Raped in Maharashtra; 3 Arrested

The three men have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act.

Image used for representational purposes. 

(Photo Courtesy: iStock)

A seven-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by three men in a dilapidated building near her school in Maharashtra’s Thane district, the police said on Monday, 23 September.

The incident took place the previous Thursday, following which the three accused, who had sexually harassed the class 2 girl on previous occasions as well, were arrested, Bazarpeth police station's inspector Yeshwant Chavan said.

The accused, identified as Navin Jasuza (24), Ajay Dehare (34) and Vikram Purohit (19), worked at different shops in Kalyan town here.

On 19 September, when the girl came out of school, they took her to an abandoned building nearby and allegedly raped her, the official said. The girl informed her parents about the incident, who lodged a complaint with police.

Based on the complaint, the accused were arrested last Friday, he said. They were later produced before a local court which remanded them in police custody till 24 September. Prior to the gang-rape, the accused had been sexually harassing the girl, the official said.

The three men have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he added.