Beed, Feb 1 : An elderly man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl after luring her with chocolate in a village in Beed district of Maharashtra, police said on Sunday.
The incident, which occurred on January 28, came to light after the victim’s mother filed a formal complaint.
According to the police, the victim is a class IV student whose family works as farm labourers in a neighbouring village in Dharur tehsil.
On the morning of January 28, while the girl was on her way to school, she went to meet a friend. The accused, identified as Baburao Nirde, intercepted her and lured her into his house on the pretext of giving her chocolate. Once inside, he allegedly sexually assaulted her, police said.
The traumatised girl initially remained silent and attended school in a state of shock. However, her mother noticed her unusually withdrawn behaviour the following day. Upon being questioned gently, the girl narrated the entire incident. The family immediately approached the Dindrud police station and lodged a complaint.
Police registered a case under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
“The accused, Baburao Nirde, aged more than 70 years, has been apprehended from Ambajogai. A court remanded in judicial custody,” said Assistant Police Inspector (API) Mahadev Dhakne.
