After the horrific incident of rape, wherein an Italian girl was allegedly raped by a cab driver in Juhu, yet another shocking incident came to light on Saturday, after a minor girl was allegedly molested by three persons including the auto-rickshaw driver in Bandra.
However, she managed to flee from their clutches by biting their hands and pushing them aside. She then reached BKC police station nearby and also informed her parents about the incident. The BKC police registered a FIR which was later transferred to the Bandra police, where incident took place.
According to Bandra police sources, the victim who is 17 years old, revealed that she boarded the auto-rickshaw from outside the Bhabha Hospital where her sister is recuperating and was headed home from there. After driving for some distance, the driver stopped the vehicle near the petrol pump opposite to the Lucky Hotel in Bandra. Within a minute, two persons aged between 40 to 45 years entered into the auto-rickshaw from either side and sat beside the girl. When she protested, the driver said he knew both the men and that he was giving them a life for a very short distance.
Without knowing their true intention, the girl continued to sit with them. The driver suddenly changed the direction in which they were headed and drove into the BKC locality. Meanwhile, both the men at the back began groping and molesting her. The girl began shouting but soon realised they wouldn't leave her. She then bit their hands, forcing the driver to stop. She then managed to push her way out of the vehicle and went directly to the BKC police station, police said.
In her statement to BKC police, the girl revealed that, on Saturday after she left her home for tutions, her father called her up and said her younger sister suddenly fell ill and has been admitted to the Bhabha Hospital and asked her to come there. After waiting at the hospital for some time, her father asked her to go home as her younger brother was there alone. The incident happened when she boarded the auto-rickshaw to go home, police added.
The victim has provided a description of the trio. The driver was wearing white trousers and a white shirt and was around 50 years. The another two accused are around 40-45 years old. On the basis of primary information, a FIR under Section of 354 and relevant Sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offense Act (POCSO) have been registered.
The police will now scan CCTV footage of the locality and auto-rickshaw drivers from Bandra will be rounded up to obtain any information about the accused. A manhunt has been launched to nab the trio. Investigation are in progress, police said.
Clarification
Apropos the news titled ‘NCP accuses developer of felling trees clandestinely’ published in ADC on June 28, 2018, Kalpataru Group has clarified that, “On account of heavy rains and winds, a single tree, along the boundary wall of our project was balancing precariously, and could have fallen on the adjacent public road leading to an accident or any dangerous situation. We immediately contacted Saki Naka Police Station, and the Fire Brigade. As per advice from Fire Brigade, we contacted BMC-Disaster Management Cell on the issue (BMC Registered Complaint No: 201803767, dated 26/06/2018). Based on our complaint, BMC – Disaster Management team came to the site and based on their assessment of the situation, themselves cut the tree. We were not involved in the process. No other trees were cut.”