35-year-old man arrested for raping 2-year-old in Kalyan'

The Kalyan Rural police on Friday arrested a 35-year-old man for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 2-year-old girl near Titwala

The Kalyan Rural police on Friday arrested a 35-year-old man for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 2-year-old girl near Titwala. The accused was produced before a POCSO court in Kalyan on Saturday, which remanded him in police custody for six days.

The incident occurred on Friday afternoon, the girl was playing outside her house along with her siblings and other children. A neighbour, who lives with his family of four, lured her with chocolates and sweets.

The accused took her to an isolated location and allegedly sexually assaulted the girl. After the girl started crying, he was unable to control her and left her lying on the spot. Later in the day, a passerby who heard her cries took her home, said a police officer.

The family immediately took her to a doctor because she was crying continuously and after the doctor examined the child, the family was told about the sexual assault. She had suffered serious injuries to her private parts and had been admitted to the Central Hospital in Ulhanagar, said the police officer.

A kidnapping and sexual assault case has been registered against the 35-year-old man under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

The accused, who had been working as a labourer and belonged to the same village as the victim, was trusted by the family whenever he interacted with the girl. The family was shocked after the incident. “We cannot imagine that someone who often treated the girl as his own child could ever do anything like this,” said one of her uncles.