An eight-year-old girl was raped by a security guard inside a restroom in Mumbai, police said. The child was taken to hospital for treatment, and the accused was arrested soon after a complaint was lodged.
The incident took place on Sunday and sparked widespread outrage, with hundreds of residents gathering outside police station in Pydonie area, where the assault occurred, to demand the strictest punishment for the accused.
Some protesters also surrounded Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar when he visited the police station after learning about the case, and raised slogans seeking strict action against the accused.
The protesters briefly blocked the road outside the police station, affecting traffic before police restored normal movement.
In a post on X, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar called the assault an “outrageous and extremely serious” incident, saying it had come soon after a 65-year-old man was sentenced to death in Pune district for the rape-murder of a toddler.
Pawar said the “absence of swift justice” in such cases had weakened the deterrence of the law, and called for 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.
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