15-year-old rape survivor gang-raped by two, one arrested

The duo lured her with a promise of a job and took her to a lodge in South Mumbai where they took turns to rape her.

Mumbai: The MRA Marg police have arrested a 28-year-old taxi driver in connection with alleged gang-rape of a 15-year-old rape survivor in South Mumbai on Saturday.

In July, she had filed a rape complaint and she was produced before the Child Welfare Committee at Dongri. The CWC had ordered the minor to be kept at a children’s home in Matunga. (Image for representation)

According to the police, the survivor came in contact with the taxi driver, Abhimanyu Hansraj Saroj, 28, and his accomplice around 9 am on October 22. The duo lured her with a promise of a job and took her to a lodge in South Mumbai where they took turns to rape her.

In July, she had filed a rape complaint and she was produced before the Child Welfare Committee at Dongri. The CWC had ordered the minor to be kept at a children’s home in Matunga.

Authorities at the home for under-privileged children had admitted her to BYL Nair hospital, where she kept on threatening to die by suicide. She, however, fled from the hospital on October 21, without informing anyone, added a police official.

She visited places like Bandra and Kurla and the next morning reached Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, where she came in contact with the accused.

Saroj and his accomplice interacted with the minor and after realising that she was looking for work, they promised to get her a job. Later, they took her to a lodge in South Mumbai where they sexually assaulted her.

The police officials said that after the incident, the duo dropped the girl back at CSMT from where she went to the children’s home and narrated her ordeal to the authorities there.

The authorities then reported the incident to the Agripada police station.

“A case was first registered at the Agripada police station and later transferred to us. After going through the details, we have arrested the taxi driver and are searching for his accomplice,” the MRA Marg police said.

“We have registered a case under Sections 363 (kidnapping), 376 (d) (a) gang rape on a woman under sixteen years of age, 376 (2) (i) committing rape on a woman incapable of giving consent, 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 4 (penetrative sexual assault, 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault), 8 (sexual assault) and 12 (sexual harassment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012,” the police officer stated.