Three arrested for kidnapping, raping 13-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Washim

Representative pic

Maharashtra Police have arrested three people for kidnapping and raping a 13-year-old girl, a senior police officer said.

Washim Superintendent Of Police Anuj Tare told ANI, "On August 21, an FIR (first information report) was lodged stating that a girl aged 13 had been kidnapped. On August 22, we found the girl. Based on her statement and medical examination, it was revealed that she had been raped. Based on the names she had given, we have arrested three people."

Further information in the case is awaited.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra's Kalyan Court on Monday sent the 21-year-old accused in the Badlapur sexual assault case to 14-day judicial custody. The accused was earlier in police custody.

Two girls, aged four, had been sexually assaulted on August 12 and 13 in their school's washroom by a male attendant. After the incident came to light last week, angry locals protested outside the school and also sat on railway tracks at Badlapur station, disrupting train movements during the morning peak hours.

On August 17, the police arrested the school attendant for allegedly abusing the girls. Six days later, the special investigation team (SIT) formed for probing the Badlapur sexual assault registered an FIR against the school authorities for not complying with the provisions of Section 19 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Under the section, it is mandatory for every authority to report an act of sexual assault against minors to police authorities as soon as they get to know about such an incident. The school authorities have been booked under section 21 of the POCSO Act for failing to inform the police, as required by section 19 of the same Act, as stated by the SIT.

Meanwhile, amid the outrage over the alleged Badlapur sexual assault case, Maharashtra Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar on Monday said that just like CCTVs in schools, panic buttons can also be installed to ensure women's safety, reported ANI. "...Just like CCTVs in schools, panic buttons can also be installed...A panic button can also be installed in the hostels...It is an advanced technology..." said Kesarkar while addressing a press conference in Mumbai, reported ANI.

(With ANI inputs)