Elderly Man Arrested for Alleged Molestation of Minor in West Bengal
Incident During Durga Puja
Kolkata, Oct 22: Authorities in West Bengal's Nadia district have apprehended a 52-year-old man accused of molesting a seven-year-old girl during the Durga Puja festivities, as reported by local police on Thursday.
The alleged incident occurred in the Santipur region on the night of Navami, which fell on Tuesday.
Following a complaint from the girl's family, the suspect was taken into custody on Wednesday night under various sections of the POCSO Act.
On Thursday, he was presented before a court in Ranaghat, where police requested his custody for further investigation.
According to police reports, the incident transpired in Dalal Para Lane, Santipur. The accused is said to be familiar with the victim and resides nearby.
A senior police official from Nadia confirmed the arrest, stating that the investigation commenced after the family of the child reported the matter to the authorities.
“We received a complaint from the minor’s family regarding the elderly man. They alleged that he molested the child and engaged in inappropriate touching. An investigation was initiated upon receiving the complaint, leading to the arrest of the accused. A case has been filed under the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and he has been presented in court. The investigation is ongoing,” the officer stated.
The family of the girl claimed in their complaint that the man behaved indecently and inappropriately touched the child on the night of the incident. They also alleged that he physically grabbed her.
Upon learning of the incident, the girl's family promptly approached the local police station to file a written complaint. Following this, officers from the Santipur police station launched an investigation and subsequently arrested the suspect from the vicinity.
The police have officially registered a case against the man under the pertinent provisions of the POCSO Act. Investigations are currently underway to clarify the circumstances surrounding the alleged crime and to collect additional evidence.