Ghaziabad Laborer Arrested for Alleged Molestation of Minor Girl in Loni
In a disturbing incident from Ghaziabad, a 35-year-old man has been taken into custody by police for allegedly molesting an eight-year-old girl in the Loni area. The accused, identified as Mustaq, is a resident of Loni and worked as a laborer.
Incident Details and Police Action
According to the official complaint filed by the girl's father, the family had gone out to attend a community feast (bhandara) in a nearby locality on Saturday afternoon around 3 PM. The accused was also present at the gathering.
Police reports indicate that Mustaq allegedly found the young girl unattended for a brief period and lured her to a nearby forest area under the false pretext of buying something for her. When her parents realized she was missing, they began searching frantically and eventually reached a deserted spot where they witnessed Mustaq molesting their daughter.
The complainant stated that upon being discovered, Mustaq threatened to kill the family members before fleeing from the scene. The victim later informed her parents that the accused had touched her inappropriately and assaulted her.
Legal Proceedings and Additional Charges
Siddharth Gautam, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of Loni, confirmed that based on the complaint, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against the accused under multiple sections. These include Section 75 (1) (i) pertaining to physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures, Section 352 for intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, and Section 351 (3) for criminal intimidation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The accused was apprehended by police on Saturday night in Loni. In a significant development, ACP Gautam revealed that based on the girl's statement recorded before a magistrate and the medical examination report, authorities have now added the serious charge of rape to the existing FIR.
Separate Ghaziabad Case Involving Minor
In a separate but equally tragic incident from the same region, police reported that on March 16, a four-year-old girl was brutally raped and murdered in the Nandgram area of Ghaziabad. The victim's body was discovered approximately 500 meters away from her residence.
According to police investigations, the accused in this case, identified as 24-year-old Gaurav Prajapati who worked as a factory laborer, allegedly lured the minor child with the promise of chocolate before taking her to an isolated location. There, he reportedly raped her and then smashed her head with a heavy object before dumping the body in nearby bushes.
Prajapati was arrested following an encounter with police during which he sustained two bullet wounds to his legs. Both cases highlight ongoing concerns about child safety and sexual violence in the region, with authorities emphasizing their commitment to pursuing justice under the stringent provisions of the POCSO Act.
Note: The identity of the victim has been protected in accordance with Supreme Court directives regarding cases of sexual assault.
