Pune rural police arrest man for abduction, rape of minor girl

The 22-year-old man has been arrested by the rural police on charges of abduction and rape of a minor girl who had gone missing four years ago in Pune district

Pune: A 22-year-old man has been arrested on charges of abduction and rape of a minor girl, who had gone missing four years ago in Pune district, an official said on Thursday.

The 22-year-old man has been arrested by the rural police on charges of abduction and rape of a minor girl who had gone missing four years ago in Pune district. ((PIC FOR REPRESENTATION))

The rural police issued a statement sharing details about the case and sequence of the incident following allegations that the girl was tortured by the suspect.

According to the police, the girl had gone missing from Manchar town in Pune district in March 2019 following which they had registered a case of kidnapping.

The accused, identified as Javed Mukhtar Sheikh, 22, from Manchar in Pune district, was arrested on May 17, a day after he and the girl returned to Manchar. Police officials said relatives rescued the girl from a room where she was staying with the accused.

Based on the medical report and statement by girl, police later registered a case against Sheikh under Sections 363 (kidnapping), 376 (rape), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 344 (wrongful confinement) of the IPC and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Deputy superintendent of police (Khed Division) Sudarshan Patil said, “As per the statement given by the survivor and her relatives, we have invoked various sections of the POCSO Act and further investigation is underway. Accused has been sent to judicial custody.”

Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Gopichand Padalkar and family members of the survivor alleged that girl was tortured by the suspect. Padalkar claimed that the police did not help the victim’s family even after repeated requests from the parents.