Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch on Thursday arrested a Wadala resident for allegedly marrying off his 15-year-old niece, and also the husband for sexually exploiting her.
The girl was rescued on Wednesday after police inspector Asha Korke, Crime Branch Unit IX, was informed that she was roaming around Mount Mary Hill in Bandra, crying uncontrollably. Ms. Korke reached the spot with a team and took the girl into custody. As she was only able to speak Bangla, the police enlisted the aid of some Bangla-speaking friends to quiz her.
“The girl told us that in July, her uncle had forced her to marry a young man staying in Behram Nagar of Bandra (East). Her husband kept her confined to his house, and repeatedly forced himself on her. He also assaulted her on several occasions when she tried to resist his advances, and threatened to kill her,” an officer said.
The girl was only able to tell the name of her uncle, a rough description, and that he runs a vegetable stall in Wadala. Crime Branch sleuths scoured the area and zeroed in on the man, identified as Tomer Naushad Ali Sheikh.
“Mr. Sheikh was detained for inquiries, and he led us to the victim’s husband, Sajid Sheikh, who was picked up at his residence. We contacted the the Nirmal Nagar police under whose jurisdiction Mr. Sajid Sheikh stays, and found that he had on Wednesday registered a missing person’s complaint in the victim’s name. He had also submitted a copy of his marriage certificate, in which her age was given as 19,” the officer said.
Both the accused were handed over to the Nirmal Nagar police, after which they were arrested and charged with sexual abuse and assault under the Indian Penal Code.
The victim is currently in the juvenile home in Dongri and her family in West Bengal has been contacted, the police said.