Mumbai horror: 15-year-old girl gang-raped in Powai area; 6 held
Mumbai: A 15-year-old minor girl was brutally gang-raped in Mumbai’s Powai area by six men, officials said on Saturday, adding that all accused have been arrested within 24 hours of the incident.
“Within just 24 hours of receiving the victim’s complaint, Mumbai Police teams conducted raids at various locations and apprehended all the accused,” officials said.
According to the police, the incident took place between October 27 and 28.
The main accused, along with four of his associates, lured the minor to an open, deserted plot located behind a bakery shop on Saki Vihar Road, where the accused allegedly sexually assaulted the victim, officials said in a statement.
Following the incident, the perpetrators threatened the victim, warning her that if she reported the matter to the police or her family, they would circulate her photographs on social media.
“In a separate, related incident, another accused intercepted the victim near a pipeline in Powai, where he molested and sexually harassed her,” officials said.
After facing the brutal assault, on the morning of October 29, the traumatised victim, with the help of her family, reached the Powai Police Station and recounted the ordeal, according to the officials.
“Recognising the gravity of the situation, the police immediately registered an FIR under Sections 64(1) and 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Additionally, charges under Sections 4, 8, and 12 of the POCSO Act have been invoked,” police said.
According to the investigators, none of the six arrested individuals has a prior criminal record.
Meanwhile, the victim has been sent to KEM Hospital in Mumbai for a medical examination.
“A thorough investigation into the case is currently underway under the supervision of senior police personnel,” officials said.
Further details are awaited.