Poor evidences against minor rapist, say police

Mumbai, Jul 20 (UNI) Police today claimed that the evidences gathered so far against a 13-year-old boy, accused of raping a 30-year-old woman with three children at Tardeo in south Mumbai on July 17, are of poor nature and not a single witness has confirmed the incident.

While speaking to UNI, Inspector Popat Kunte of Tardeo police station said that they are awaiting the medical report, to be made avilable on Monday, after which they will decide the further course of action.

''We have sent the bedsheets on which the boy allegedly raped the woman as well as the clothes of both of them to the goverment run Forensic Laboratory at Kalina in Santacruz for scientific tests,''he said.

He said if medical report is in boy's favour, we will approach the court seeking direction to discharge him from the case and take action against the woman for registering a false complaint.

On July 17, a 13-year-old boy was arrested by the Tardeo police for allegedly raping a 30-year-old woman.

The boy lived with his mother on the ground floor of a two-storeyed structure in a slum near the M P Mill compound at Tardeo in South Mumbai. The alleged victim stayed on the upper floor and the access to her home was through the boy's residence.

According to the complaint, on Wednesday afternoon, the boy, a class VII student, returned from school. His mother, who works as a maid, was not at home.

The woman's husband, a daily-wage labourer, was also away at work. Taking advantage of the situation, the boy allegedly raped the woman.

Based on the complaint, Tardeo police registered an offence of rape and the boy was had and later sent to an Observation Home.

Sources said the woman had come to Mumbai with her husband three months ago to fend for their families back home and the couple's parents and three children live in Uttar Pradesh.

The police had recorded the statements of other residents of the slum to find out if the boy and the woman had any misunderstanding or dispute before.

''While questioning the boy's neighbours about his reputation in the area, we have not got any adverse report,'' a police officer, who did not want to be named, said.

''We have also made an effort to find out if he had indulged in any obscene behaviour with any other woman in the neighbourhood, but we have not got any proof in this regard also,'' the officer added.

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