A deeply concerning incident has emerged in Mumbai, where a 13-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 21-year-old man she met on social media. The accused, who works in a hotel, has been arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
According to reports, the victim and the accused began communicating on social media before deciding to meet in person. The accused then took the girl to Andheri, where he allegedly raped her. On August 15, he took her to Gujarat on the pretext of visiting a village, where he reportedly raped her three more times.
The situation became alarming when the girl did not return home on August 15, prompting her family to search for her. After a few days, she returned home but remained silent about her ordeal.
Eventually, under questioning from her family, she revealed what had happened. The family identified the accused from his photos on Instagram and reported the incident to the police.
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This case has added to the growing concern over child sexual abuse in Maharashtra, coinciding with widespread protests in Thane’s Badlapur district over the alleged sexual abuse of two kindergarten girls by a school sweeper. During these protests, 17 city police personnel and eight railway officers were injured in incidents of stone-pelting, reflecting the rising public anger over such heinous crimes.
It also comes at a time when the entire nation is waiting to see how the investigation and the subsequent court hearings turn out in the RG Kar rape and murder of the junior doctor in Kolkata.
It is worth mentioning that massive nationwide protests took place after the RG Kar rape and murder incident, following which the Supreme Court intervened.
These incidents underscore the urgent need for stronger measures to protect children from sexual predators and ensure swift justice for victims.
