31-yr-old man held for abusing 10-yr-old girl

A 31-year-old man, who sodomised a 10-year-old girl in August after luring her with the promise of a film role, was arrested on Thursday.

A 31-year-old man, who sodomised a 10-year-old girl in August after luring her with the promise of a film role, was arrested on Thursday.

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The victim, who is a resident of Devipada area of Borivli (East), had gone to buy a SIM card from a local shop along with her elder sister on August 29, according to the police.

On their way, the sister received a call on her mobile phone. The victim proceeded to the shop, while her sister stopped to talk on the phone. While the victim was returning from the shop, Ravindra Bhosale, who resides in the same area, followed her.

"The victim was skipping along on her way back. Bhosale approached her and told her she was a good dancer and he would introduce her to Salman Khan and help her do a film with him. Tempted by the offer, the victim followed Bhosale to a bus stop from where they went to Dindoshi to an under-construction building where Bhosale sodomised the girl. He used to work at the site as a labourer," said Rajendra Thakur, senior inspector of Kasturba police station.

They hired a rickshaw and when the vehicle reached TCS in Borivli (East), Bhosale got off saying he would return soon. When he did not return, the victim borrowed the rickshaw driver's mobile phone and called her father.

"The victim's family approached us on July 30 and a case was registered. Based on her description of the accused, we prepared a sketch, which her sister identified as being that of another local, who was not the accused.

"We released the sketches to the Eagle brigade [comprising citizens who help police in patrolling] who located Bhosale and tipped us off about him," Thakur said.

Bhosale has been booked under IPC Section 377 (unnatural sex) and has been remanded in police custody.