Mumbai: Driver rapes 4-year-old girl, dumps her on highway in a sack, arrested

A 34-year-old driver of a luxury bus has been arrested on Monday by Bhayander police for allegedly sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl inside the bus on Sunday

A 34-year-old driver of a luxury bus has been arrested on Monday by Bhayander police for allegedly sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl inside the bus on Sunday evening. The accused then stuffed her in a gunny (jute) sack and threw her at a desolate spot near a petrol pump near Waliv on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway.

The girl regained consciousness and was rescued by locals. (AFP)

The girl later regained consciousness and moved around in the sack, following which locals took notice and opened the bag. They then informed Waliv police who took her to Sir DM Petit Municipal Hospital in Vasai where she is undergoing treatment.

Senior Police Inspector Chandrakant Jadhav of Bhayander police station said the survivor was playing with her friends inside a parked luxury bus on Sunday afternoon near Bholaram slum in Bhayander (West) when the bus suddenly started moving. While the others managed to alight the moving bus, the minor remained inside.

After noticing the minor, the driver parked the bus near a desolate spot, sexually assaulted her and then strangled her. Jadhav added that the accused thought the minor was dead when she lost consciousness. He then stuffed the girl inside a jute sack and dumped it near a petrol pump at Fatherwadi, Vasai.

Waliv police had initially registered a case against unknown persons.

Meanwhile, the survivor’s mother found out about her getting stuck in the bus and went to Bhayander police station. The police then launched a search operation for her and informed nearby police stations, Jadhav added.

After checking CCTV footage from nearby areas, the police identified the accused driver and arrested him on Monday under sections 376(2)(i), 376(3) (rape), 307 (attempt to murder), 363 (kidnapping) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. The arrested accused was produced before the Thane court and has been remanded in police custody till December 28.