Mumbai man rapes 3-year-old girl, is caught sleeping inside an autorickshaw 12 hours later

The accused fled from his Mumbai flat, leaving behind his mobile phone

Govandi police arrested a 25-year-old for raping and molesting a three-year-old girl in Chembur on Wednesday

The girl was playing alone in the building around 8 pm when the accused picked her up and took her to his flat. (HT File)

Police said the girl was playing alone in the building around 8 pm when the accused, Sachin Devkate, picked her up and took her to his flat.

“Devkate then forced himself on to her,” said an officer, who did not wish to be identified.

The incident came to light when the girl’s mother started looking for her and found her adjusting her clothes. On realising something was amiss, she confronted Devkate, who fled. She then called her relatives and told them what had happened.

The girl’s parents approached the Govandi police, who filed a case and formed teams to trace the accused.

“We had recovered a photo of the accused from his flat and circulated it among our informers. He had left his phone behind so we examined his call data,” added the officer.

After 12 hours, Devkate was found sleeping inside an autorickshaw near Amar Theatre.

He was brought to the police station and booked under sections 376 (rape) and 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 4, 8 and 12 under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. He was produced in court on Friday and remanded in police custody.