E-Paper
Pune: Man arrested for sexually assaulting 5-year-old
A 42-year-old man from Chakan on Saturday allegedly sexually assaulted a five-year-old toddler. The accused has been identified as Pankaj Baherkar, a resident of Xrbia Eiffel City in Chakan
A 42-year-old man from Chakan on Saturday allegedly sexually assaulted a five-year-old toddler, police said. The accused has been identified as Pankaj Baherkar, a resident of Xrbia Eiffel City in Chakan. He works in a private automotive firm and was arrested by Chakan police on Saturday.
The incident occurred on Saturday around 9 am, when the victim was playing with her friends in the parking lot of the Xrbia Eiffel City building, according to police. Her mother called her around 9:30 am to have breakfast, but she was not found.
Her mother stated in her complaint that while looking for her daughter, she discovered her footwear outside of the accused’s home. When she tried to open the door, it was locked from the inside, so she called her daughter. The complainant noticed the girl coming from the accused’s bedroom, and when questioned about it, the accused stated that she was playing inside.
The complainant suspected that the individual was hiding something. When she asked the girl after taking her into confidence, she stated that the accused inappropriately touched her in his bedroom. The complainant immediately called her husband and informed him about the untoward incident.
S Madake, police sub-inspector at Chakan police station said, “When her father returned from the office and enquired, she told the same thing, taking cognizance of it, her parents approached the accused but he resisted them and did not give proper answers. Hence, they have approached us and lodged a police complaint.’’
Madake went on to say that police had filed a complaint and arrested the accused based on the complaint filed by the victim’s mother.
“A case has been registered at Chakan police station under sections 354 (b) (Assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 8, 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012, and further investigation is underway,” he said.
