A security guard has been arrested in Mumbai following the alleged sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl, sparking widespread public protests and calls for immediate justice and stricter legal measures.
Key Points
- An 8-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a security guard in Mumbai's Pydhonie area.
- The accused security guard was arrested shortly after the incident, and the victim is receiving hospital treatment.
- The incident sparked widespread public outrage, with hundreds protesting outside the Pydhonie police station.
- Maharashtra legislative assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar was confronted by protesters demanding strict action.
- NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar called for swift justice and the implementation of the Shakti Act for such crimes.
A security guard allegedly sexually assaulted an 8-year-old girl inside a restroom in south Mumbai's Pydhonie area, triggering a protest by local residents, the police said.
While the girl was being treated at a hospital, the accused was arrested soon after a complaint was lodged on Sunday, an official said.
Public Outcry And Political Reaction
The incident triggered widespread outrage, with hundreds of people gathering outside the Pydhonie police station on Sunday, demanding exemplary punishment for the accused.
Some protesters also surrounded Maharashtra legislative assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar when he visited the police station after learning about the incident and raised slogans seeking strict action against the accused, as per the eyewitnesses.
The protesters briefly blocked the road outside the police station, disrupting traffic before police dispersed the crowd and restored normalcy, the official said.
Heavy police deployment has been made in the area to prevent any flare-up or untoward incident, he added.
Calls For Swift Justice And Stronger Laws
In a post on X, NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar called the alleged assault on the minor an "outrageous and extremely serious" incident, coming soon after the sentencing in the Nasrapur case, involving the rape-murder of a three-year-old child in Pune district.
Pawar claimed that the "absence of swift justice" in all such cases had weakened the deterrence of the law, and called for the speedy disposal of such trials as well as the immediate implementation of the Shakti Act, which has stringent provisions for such crimes.
The Opposition MLA said he had raised the demand during the recently concluded legislature session and urged the government to act, while praying for the girl's speedy recovery.
In the Nasrapur case, a 65-year-old was convicted and handed a triple death sentence within 60 days of the crime, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said last month.
