Mumbai: Kurla resident held for sodomising siblings

The police have arrested a 24-year-old Kurla resident on charges of sexually assaulting two young brothers over the past five months. The accused, a cable operator who used to double up as a baby-sitter, is a neighbour to the boys' family.

The mother of the children, aged six and four, found something was amiss after she noticed a change in their behaviour. After much coaxing, they kids opened up and said that they were being abused by the neighbour.

Acting on a complainant by the 36-year-old woman, cops from Vinoba Bhave police station, Kurla West, picked up the accused on Friday. He had been sodomising the minors since December 2014, they said, quoting the mother.

"The accused is a neighbour who used to take care of the kids when the mother was out for work. The mother has alleged that he was sexually assaulting her children," said source, adding that the kids had been sent for medical examination and the reports were expected.

A case under section 377 (unnatural offences) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 4 (punishment for penetrative sexual assault) and 8 (punishment for sexual assault) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) has been registered by the police and the accused has been sent to police custody till April 13. If convicted, the man may be jailed up to a maximum of 10 years.