Senior citizen held for raping 8-year-old girl

Mumbai : The RAK Marg police has arrested an 80-year-old man for allegedly raping an eight-year-old girl at his Sewri residence, after luring her inside his residence with the promise of a chocolate. The incident came to light after the girl mentioned her ordeal to her mother, who had taught the child about the good and bad touch.

According to the police the girl is traumatised and recuperating at civic-run KEM Hospital, where she is being counselled.  

“The accused took the girl, who resides in the same vicinity as him, into the storeroom, covered her mouth with his hand and forced himself on her,” said a police officer. “The girl then told her mother ‘Chacha gandha hai (uncle is dirty). He touched me here and there…. that is a bad touch’,” the officer said, adding, “The good touch and bad touch brought the culprit to us.” 

Senior police inspector Bhagwat Bansod of the RAK Marg police station confirmed the arrest of the accused and said, “We booked under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code, as well as sections 4, 6, 8 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. He was produced in a Bhoiwada court, which remanded him in police custody. When we investigated the matter in detail, the girl recounted the incident to us and her mother,” he said. 

A victim’s relative said, “She used to play there (the neighbour’s house) along with the other kids. After her incident, a few other kids started saying that ‘uncle used to touch us in an inappropriate manner’.” 

Expressing relief that the good touch and bad touch method helped raised the alarm, a doctors treating the child said, “She was traumatised but she is recuperating and responding well to treatment. She will be able to resume her normal life soon.”