Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Mar 6: Five men are now in judicial custody following the harrowing ordeal of a 12-year-old girl, who alleges she was gang-raped after being kidnapped from Jogeshwari. The Jogeshwari police made the arrests on Sunday, after a complex search and investigation.

The girl's ordeal began on February 24, around 9:30 am, when she left her home to visit her grandmother. However, she never returned. Her grandmother confirmed that the girl had left her residence shortly after arriving. Following a frantic search, her parents filed a kidnapping complaint with the Jogeshwari police.

The breakthrough came around 3:00 am on February 27, when the Dadar Government Railway Police (GRP) discovered the girl on a platform with a 20-year-old man. Upon questioning, she remained silent. Recognizing her as a minor, they took her to the Dadar GRP station.

Utilizing WhatsApp groups, the Dadar GRP officers shared her photo and discovered the pending kidnapping case filed at Jogeshwari Police Station. “We immediately dispatched the girl to Jogeshwari as she seemed to require medical attention. At that time, she did not disclose the rape,” stated a Dadar GRP officer.

Upon reaching Jogeshwari Police Station, the girl bravely revealed that she had been gang-raped by five men since her disappearance. Consequently, the police registered a case of gang rape and kidnapping on February 28th, leading to the swift arrest of the five accused on Sunday.

According to the investigation, one of the accused was known to the girl, while the other four were strangers. The initial police custody of the accused has now transitioned to judicial custody, as the investigation continues.