Two minor girls raped in separate cases in Maha, accused held

Two minor girls were allegedly raped in separate incidents in Parbhani and Hingoli districts in Marathwada region of Maharashtra, police said today.

In Parbhani district, a seven-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a man earlier this month, while in Hingoli, an 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped on Sunday by a man, who blackmailed her with a video clip, police said.

Accused in both the cases have been arrested, they added.

The first incident took place on April 13 in Gandhi Park area in Parbhani. "The 30-year-old accused identified as Sayad Bablu Ashraf kidnapped the girl and raped her at a village in Purna tehsil in the district," Parbhani superintendent of police Dilip Jhalke told reporters.

The accused was arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said.

The second incident took place last Sunday in Akhala Balapur village of Kalamnuri tehsil in Hingoli, around 255 kms from Aurangabad.

The accused, identified as Krushna Bhikaji Bhawar (19), was arrested based on a complaint filed by the victim yesterday.

"The girl, who is from Nanded, had come to Akhala Balapur with her family on a visit to her relatives. The accused shot a video of the girl bathing," sub divisional police officer Shashikiran Kashid said.

"Later, he met the girl and told her that he has a video clip of her. He then called the minor to his house on the pretext of returning the clip. When she came, he sexually assaulted her there," the officer added.

He was arrested yesterday following a complaint filed by the girl, Kashid said.

Further investigation into the cases is on.