MUMBAI: Vile Parle police recently arrested an 82-yearold man for allegedly molesting his neighbour’s five-year-old daughter at knifepoint after forcibly taking her to his house.

The incident took place on the afternoon of December 29 when the minor girl was playing outside her home in Vile Parle (east) along with some other children when the accused, Narayan Gaikwad, who resides alone, forcibly took her away.

Some of the children immediately alerted the girl’s parents. “Gaikwad abused the police, the minor’s parents and even people from the locality when they went to inquire about his act. They are probing if Gaikwad has been involved in similar offences in the past,” a police officer told TOI.

The victim’s mother has stated in her police complaint that she rushed out of the house on hearing her daughter’s scream. “I learnt from neighbours that the old man had taken her to his house.

Gaikwad abused me when I barged into his house. He held a knife at my daughter’s neck and threatened to kill her. He had removed her clothes.”

Locals caught hold of Gaikwad and called the police. Gaikwad has been booked under IPC sections for outraging modesty, insult, criminal intimidation, sexual harassment and under the POCSO Act. He is in custody.

The Mumbai police crime report shows a total of 1,631 minors have been molested between 2017 and 2019 (till November 30) and 1,589 were sexually abused during the period across the city. Police solved more than 85% POCSO cases and found the perpetrators were either family members or neighbours known to the victim.

IPS officer-turned-lawyer YP Singh said in most cases minors fall victim because they are acquainted with the accused. “We need a large number of fast-track courts to dispose of cases speedily so that undertrials do not remain in custody for long,” he said.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)