Navi Mumbai rocked by sex crimes against minor girl, boy; 3 booked

Navi Mumbai, Aug 28 : Navi Mumbai was shaken by sexual crimes against a minor girl and boy, leading to three persons, including a woman, being booked by the police, officials said here on Monday.

In the first incident, a man who befriended the 14-year-old girl from Turbhe on social media in January 2021, got in touch with her and repeatedly raped her at his home in Kamothe.

In May, the girl became pregnant and with help from her family members, finally lodged a police complaint against the accused and his mother, who was aware of her son’s activities.

Following the minor girl’s complaint, the police have booked the man and his mother for abetting the crime and further investigations are on, said an official.

In the second incident, a 26-year-old autorickshaw driver was arrested after he allegedly sexually assaulted a 15-year-old boy in the toilet of a mall in Vashi on Sunday evening.

Police said that the boy had gone to the mall with his friends where the autorickshaw driver lured him to the ground floor toilet block and sexually assaulted him.

The boy somehow managed to escape from there and informed his family, who lodged a complaint with the Vashi Police Station.

Police teams swung into action to track and arrest the accused a few hours later.

In both the serious offences involving the two minors, the Navi Mumbai Police have invoked stringent provisions of the POCSO Act, and other laws, and further investigations are underway.

qn/ksk