Maharashtra: Case against man in Thane for harassing, stalking minor girl

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Police has registered a case against a man in Maharashtra's Thane city for allegedly harassing and stalking a 13-year-old girl, an official said on Monday.

The girl, a resident of Wagle Estate area, some months back opened an account on an instant messaging app on her mother's mobile phone and accepted a friend request from the accused, the official from Srinagar police station here said quoting the FIR.

The duo exchanged messages and chatted with each other. The accused allegedly stalked the girl at times and told her that he would marry her after she turns 18. He also allegedly touched her inappropriately, the official said.

PTI reported that when the girl did not respond to his advances, he slit his wrist with a blade. "The accused later also sent his nude pictures to the girl," the official said.

Following constant harassment, the girl fell sick a couple of times, the police said.

She approached the police with a complaint on Sunday, based on which an FIR was registered against the accused under Indian Penal Code sections 354D (stalking) and 366A (procuration of minor girl), as well as provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Information Technology Act, the police said.

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Meanwhile, a tribal woman carried in a 'dholi' (makeshift stretcher) due to lack of proper roads after she went into labour gave birth in transit in Shahapur taluka of Maharashtra's Thane district. A video of the woman being carried in the dholi on Sunday has gone viral on social media.

The woman from Patikacha Pada hamlet was being carried in the dholi in the late morning hours by her family members and some villagers. She delivered a girl at around noon, a villager and an ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) worker said.

The woman and the baby were later taken to the Kasara primary health center (PHC) in a private vehicle.

A villager said they crossed streams and difficult terrain while taking the woman to the nearest PHC from their hamlet.

"Luckily, an ASHA worker accompanied us and helped in the smooth delivery," he said.

The mother and the baby are safe and stable, the health worker said.

Locals claimed their village was adopted by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde when he was the guardian minister of Thane district. (With inputs from agencies)