Mumbai stepfather held for raping 14-year-old repeatedly over a year

The stepfather of a 14-year-old girl from Shantinagar, Bhiwandi, was recently arrested for allegedly raping the minor repeatedly over the last one year. The girl, who has been severely traumatised, has been sent for a medical check-up.

The Shantinagar police arrested the culprit on April 26 around 11pm after the girl mustered up courage and told her mother what had been happening. The mother lodged a police complaint immediately.

According to the victim, she and her stepfather, a daily-wage labourer, would be the only ones at home for most part of the day after her mother, a maid servant, would leave for work and her brother would go to school. The girl also said that if she tried to resist him he would beat her up badly and then threaten her against revealing anything to anyone.

She said she was scared of him and, hence, didn't tell anyone but decided to speak up after the situation worsened and he started forcing himself on her frequently.

A police officer said, "We have arrested the culprit and sent the girl for a check-up. Her condition is quite bad. Her family is in shock. We will now produce the culprit in court."

The accused has been booked under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code and under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.