Residents of Ramabai Nagar, a Dalit colony in suburban Ghatkopar, observed a bandh on Thursday in protest against the rape of a minor girl.
Ritesh Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Police, told The Hindu that there was no untoward incident. He said the accused, who lived opposite the girl's house, was a minor himself.
A case of rape has been registered and the boy, under arrest, has been sent to a remand home.
Mr. Kumar said the girl belonged to a Scheduled Caste. Asked if the police had invoked provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he said, “It is a matter of investigation.”
Chintaman Gangurde, a resident and Republican Party of India (RPI) member, said the five-year-old victim, whose father was a labourer, was recuperating in a civic hospital. The colony has been branded a sensitive area ever since the massacre of Dalits by a police officer in 1997.
Police bandobust was maintained at Ramabai Nagar throughout the day.
