04 December,2024 06:53 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Pic/File
The Thane Police in Maharashtra have arrested a man from Bhiwandi town in Thane district for allegedly raping his teenage stepdaughter on multiple occasions, an official said on Wednesday, reported the PTI.
The case against the 34-year-old accused was registered on Tuesday based on a complaint lodged by his 15-year-old stepdaughter, an official of Shanti Nagar police station said.
"The accused raped the victim multiple times from 2022. Recently, when the girl's mother was away from home on November 25, he raped her again and also threatened her of dire consequences if she disclosed anything," he said, according to the PTI.
The accused was booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 64 (rape), 64 (2) (m) (repeated rape on same woman) and 65 (1) (rape in certain cases) and also under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the police said.
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Meeting to discuss steps to evolve safety mechanism to curb sexual crimes against school kids
Meanwhile, a meeting was held in Thane district to evolve a safety mechanism to curb sexual crimes against school children.
The meeting was held recently in Thane city under the direction of Thane District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) chairman and Principal District Judge Srinivas Agarwal, with DLSA secretary Ishwar Suryavanshi presiding over the session, according to the PTI.
Representatives from schools, teacher associations, police department and child protection groups took part in the meeting, a release by the DLSA said.
Various points related to safety of students, particularly installation of CCTV cameras in schools, police verification of staff and mandatory training for educators on children's rights and laws protecting minors, were discussed.
The initiative aligns with directives from the Bombay High Court, which had formed a committee under the leadership of a retired judge to establish safety rules for schools. These rules are now expected to be implemented in schools, ensuring they are not just theoretical but practically applied, the release said.
Suryavanshi said schools must maintain CCTV footage for at least a month, and stressed the importance of providing training to both staff and students, particularly on sensitive topics like 'good touch and bad touch' and cybercrime awareness.
He also called for regular police supervision of educational institutions.
Chief Judicial Magistrate S K Phokmare expressed concern over the rising cases of juvenile offenders involved in sexual crimes, and noted that educators play a key role in curbing it. He urged teachers to take an active role in preventing exposure to harmful content and guiding students away from potential dangers like pornography, as per the PTI.
Assistant Police Commissioner Rajkumar Dongre highlighted the growing concern regarding sexual abuse in educational institutions, stating that the rising frequency of such incidents has now become a law and order issue, the PTI reported.
Suryavanshi instructed the education departments to monitor the condition of schools regularly and submit reports to the DLSA regarding the implementation of these safety measures.
Thane District Women and Child Welfare Officer Mahendra Gaikwad emphasized the need for continuous training sessions for both teachers and students.
Two kindergarten girls were sexually assaulted by a male attendant in the washroom of their school in Badlapur in Thane district in August this year. The accused, Akshay Shinde, was shot dead by police in September while being ferried in a police vehicle.
(with PTI inputs)
