One arrested in gang-rape case of minor girl

A 15-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped by three youths at Vasai in Palghar district. One of the accused has been arrested on Monday in this connection, police said.

According to a complaint filed by the minor girl, who is a resident of a village in Thane, the three youths took her on a motorbike to a room at Navghar in Vasai on the evening of January 5 where they took turns to rape her, Bhiwandi police station inspector Vijaysingh Pawar said. The girl, who was in shock following the offence, lodged the complaint against the three accused on January 11 after being persuaded by her family members, he said.

Based on the complaint, police arrested one of the accused identified as Ram Parvej, who is around 22 years of age, at around 1.30 AM, Pawar said, adding that a manhunt is on to nab the other two culprits. Offences have been registered against the accused under sections 376(D) (rape), 363 (kidnapping) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and sections 3,4 and 5 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012, he said.