Neighbour arrested for raping 3-year-old

They live in the same building; girl, brothers would often go to play in his flat

The APMC police have arrested a 30-year-old man from Turbhe, who allegedly sexually assaulted a three-year-old girl living in his building.

The accused is a labourer and lives on the third floor of the building, while the victim lives on the ground floor. “The accused lives with four friends, and they are all known to the victim’s family. The victim and her two brothers often went to play with them at their flat,” a police officer from the APMC police station said.

On Thursday afternoon, the accused told the victim to get cold water from her house. According to the police, when she went to his house with water, he allegedly sexually assaulted her.

Threatened girl

“He threatened her with dire consequences if she told anyone. Later, her mother found out that she feared visiting the neighbour’s house and also complained of pain in her private parts. When she asked the child, the girl told her mother what had happened. The mother registered a case with us on Saturday,” the officer added.

The accused was arrested from his residence on Sunday, under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.