55-year-old physically impaired man arrested in child sex abuse case

Mumbai: The Trombay police recently arrested a 55-year-old physically impaired man for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor — a 15-year-old girl

Mumbai: The Trombay police recently arrested a 55-year-old physically impaired man for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor — a 15-year-old girl. Police said that this is the second case of child sex abuse against the accused. He was previously arrested in 2019 for allegedly raping his brother’s12-year-old daughter. The accused had lost both of his legs and one hand in a road accident more than a decade ago.

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As per the police complaint, on February 26, the accused , along with his wife, had gone to the market to buy vegetables. The 15-year-old victim lives in the area, which is en route the market. The accused asked the girl if he could drop her at her house. The victim then sat in his vehicle designed for specially-abled person.

The victim agreed and after some distance, the accused’s wife got off the vehicle as she wanted to buy something. The accused then drove the vehicle around for some more distance searching a place to park his vehicle, which he did in an open ground where a four-wheeler was also parked.

He asked the victim to help him sit in the parked vehicle and also requested her to sit beside him in the car. Since the area was dark and there was no street light, the accused allegedly sexually assaulted the victim, said an official.

The victim later informed her parents, who approached the Trombay police and a case was registered against the accused under protection of children from sexual offences (POCSO) Act. Police then arrested the accused from his residence.

The accused has a criminal history and there were assault cases registered against him in 2003 and 2009 in Trombay police station, said a police officer.

The officer added, “After the first rape case, the accused was in jail till 2021 and he came out on bail taking advantage of his physical impairment. He is an alcoholic. Based on the complaint registered by the victim and her parents, we arrested him.”