Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Dec 20: The police have arrested a minor boy for allegedly raping a 22-year-old woman at knifepoint inside her residence in Ghansoli during the early hours of Thursday.

According to Rabale police, the survivor, a mechanical engineer from Assam, had shifted to Ghansoli in November and was living alone. The accused allegedly gained entry into the house by removing the glass panes of a toilet window and damaging the lower portion of the bathroom door.

After realising that the woman was alone, the minor reportedly threatened her with a knife and sexually assaulted her before fleeing through the main door. The incident took place around 1.45 am, while the survivor alerted the police at around 2 am, soon after the accused escaped.

Following the complaint, police teams scanned CCTV footage from the surrounding area and identified the suspect based on his clothing. The survivor reportedly recognised him from the distinctive stripes on his shirt, which matched the CCTV visuals. Police said the accused was a vagabond residing on the footpath in Ghansoli.

Personnel from Rabale police station, along with three units of the Navi Mumbai crime branch, traced the accused to Ghansoli railway station and took him into custody within hours. During verification, it was confirmed that he is a minor, following which he was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board in Bhiwandi.

The Rabale police have booked the accused under sections 64(1) (rape), 331(5) (house-breaking), 127(2) (wrongful confinement) and 352 (intentional insult) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act.