Police constable arrested for sexual abuse of 5-year-old

The accused policeman attached to the Pune rural headquarters at Pashan was posted as part of an additional deployment sent by the police top brass for crowd control and security measures at the fort sites on account of Christmas celebrations

A police constable has been arrested for allegedly molesting a 5-year-old girl under the influence of alcohol in Lohagad- Visapur surrounding area on December 25.

According to the police, the constable has been arrested and suspended from duty. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

The accused policeman attached to the Pune rural headquarters at Pashan was posted as part of an additional deployment sent by the police top brass for crowd control and security measures at the fort sites on account of Christmas celebrations. The incident took place at around 4.15 pm on Wednesday following which the constable was arrested immediately by the Lonavla rural police after a complaint was lodged against him by the mother of the survivor. According to the police, the constable has been arrested and suspended from duty.

The arrested constable is identified as Sachin Saste (43), a resident of Mohammadwadi and a native of Jejuri in Purandar tehsil of the district. Saste was initially recruited in the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) cadre in 2006 and was recently inducted into the Pune rural cadre’s headquarters branch some two and a half months ago.

Lonavla Rural police station In-charge Kishore Dhumal said a large number of tourists had gathered at Lonavla city and rural area for sightseeing on account of festivities.

“Since it was getting crowded between Lohagad and Visapur forts, we had summoned additional reinforcements from rural police headquarters. Saste was a part of the police team which arrived for bandobast duties in the area. On Wednesday afternoon, he came to a hotel located at the foothills of Visapur fort and bought Bhakri (Chapati in local parlance) and was in an inebriated condition. He saw the victim there and showing the reason for answering nature’s call went behind the hotel and sexually exploited the child. When the victim opposed, he offered her the bait of giving her chocolate and told her not to narrate the incident at home. However, the girl told the entire incident to her mother after which the FIR was lodged and the constable arrested on December 26,” he said.

According to Dhumal, Saste has been arrested under Bharati Nyay Sanhita (BNS) sections 64 and 65, the Atrocity Act and the POCSO Act. He was produced before the local court which remanded him in police custody till December 30.