A 35-year-old man allegedly raped a five-year-old in Maharashtra's Thane city, after luring her away from her home on the pretext of buying her an ice-cream Saturday.
The accused has been identified as Suman Nandkumar Jha, a resident of the Bhandup area where the victim lived, said India Today.
However, The Indian Express has given a different version stating that Jha used to work in the area where the minor lived.
Cops found the child in a harrowing state
The child was dumped in an isolated area after being assaulted. She was rescued by the police after a passer-by alerted them. The victim told the police that Jha took her away from her house, promising to buy her an ice cream. Instead, the accused took her to Azaad Nagar in Thane.
"He took her behind a factory where there is an outgrowth of shrubs and trees. Under this green cover, she was raped until she lost her senses, after which she was dumped in Brahmand," IE quoted DCP Sunil Lokhande as saying.
The police rescued the girl in a very harrowing state.
"We got a distress call. When we reached the spot, the girl could barely walk and was lying on the side of the road. We took her to the police station where a lady officer questioned her," another senior officer added.
Based on the information provided by the minor, the police deployed a team to nab the accused. The girl also gave the cops her address and her parents were notified.
Accused suspected of raping several girls
Jha was arrested from his house Sunday and confessed to his crime. He will be presented in the court Monday. The police are also investigating, whether Jha is involved in the rape of other girls.
"It is probable that he has raped multiple girls. We are interrogating him. We have also circulated his picture to other police stations if it matches their record," a cop added.
