Boy detained, man arrested for harassing 11-year-old girl in Noida

A 15-year-old boy was detained on Wednesday on charges of sexually harassing an 11-year-old girl after he allegedly forcibly tried to cover her forehead with vermillion in Noida’s Sector 20 on Tuesday

A 15-year-old boy was detained on Wednesday on charges of sexually harassing an 11-year-old girl after he allegedly forcibly tried to cover her forehead with vermillion in Noida’s Sector 20 on Tuesday.

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An 18-year-old man, who accompanied the minor boy and allegedly helped him accost the girl, has been arrested, said police.

According to the complaint registered by the girl’s father at Sector 20 police station, the minor boy lives near their residence and is a neighbour.

Additional deputy commissioner of police, Noida, Ranvijay Singh said, “The boy and the girl live in the same building and are known to each other. The girl’s father alleged that on Tuesday evening, his daughter had gone to the terrace of the building. The minor boy followed her along with the 18-year-old man. The father alleged that the minor boy was infatuated with the girl and told her that he wanted to marry her. When she refused, the man forcibly held her while the boy applied vermilion on her head. They fled the spot when the girl started screaming.”

The girl narrated the ordeal to her father, after which he lodged a complaint with the police. Manoj Kumar, in-charge, Sector 20 police station, said an FIR was registered under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354-A (sexual harassment) of the IPC and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (Posco) Act on Wednesday evening.

“The boy and the man were apprehended from their residence on Wednesday. While the man was produced before a court and sent to judicial custody, the minor boy has been sent to an observation home,” said Kumar.

The deputy commissioner of police (women’s safety), Gautam Budh Nagar, pulled up the Sector 24 police station team over a rape that happened in their jurisdiction on Wednesday. A 20-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl while she was on her way to school.

DCP Meenakshi Katyayan has sought an explanation from the Sector 24 police station in-charge about the alleged incident.“An explanation has been sought from the in-charge of the police station as to why there was no police patrolling around the girl’s school from where she was picked up by the suspect. All police stations have been instructed to ensure police presence in and around marketplaces, schools, bus stops and metro stations,” said Katyayan.

Following Wednesday’s incident, the DCP has instructed to revive the anti-romeo squad in the district. “An anti-romeo drive has been launched around crowded places, Metro stations, school, and colleges. The personnel will also speak to women and get feedback on whether there is anyone stalking or creating nuisance for them,” she said.

The anti-romeo squads will include two to four police personnel depending on the location and some of them will be dressed in plain clothing while patrolling crowded places, officials said.

Officers have been instructed to carry out effective patrolling in crime prone areas.

“Officers in each zone have also been instructed to carry out verification of suspected criminals out on bails and adopt preventive action based on individual merit,” informed Rajesh S, DCP, Noida.