In a shocking incident an 8-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a security guard inside a restroom in south Mumbai's Pydhonie area, sparking a massive outrage.
The accused has been arrested, while the girl is undergoing treatment at a hospital.
The incident triggered widespread protests, with hundreds of people gathering outside the Pydhonie police station, demanding exemplary punishment for the accused.
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar visited the police station after learning about the incident. According to reports, protesters surrounded Narwekar, raising slogans and demanding strict action against the accused.
The protesters also briefly blocked the road outside the police station, disrupting traffic in the area.
The alleged assault comes just days after the sentencing in the Nasrapur rape-murder case involving a three-year-old girl in Pune district. Last month, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that a 65-year-old man was convicted and awarded a triple death sentence within 60 days of the crime.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar described the alleged assault on the minor in Pydhonie as an "outrageous and extremely serious" incident, noting that it occurred soon after the sentencing in the Nasrapur case.
Pawar alleged that the absence of swift justice in such cases had weakened the law's deterrent effect. He called for the speedy disposal of trials involving crimes against women and children, along with the immediate implementation of the Shakti Act, which provides for stricter punishment and expedited investigation of such offences.
