MUMBAI: An alert neighbour with few others helped in saving a seven-year-old school girl from getting raped by a waiter at Matunga labour camp on Tuesday. The accused identified as Abdul Mulla allegedly tried to commit the offence by offering Rs20 to the survivor. The attempt was made on the mezzanine floor at Mulla’s rented house in a chawl in the neighbouring locality at labour camp, said the Shahu Nagar police.

The incident occurred around 1pm when the accused approached the survivor and lured her with money. She was playing with other kids in the locality when Mulla took her to his rented house. The survivor is shocked after the incident and is in the safe hands of her parents. “A woman passing from the locality and few neighbours came for the minor girl’s rescue on hearing her scream. The accused was caught from the spot,” said Shahu Nagar police senior inspector Babaji Awhad.

Mulla hails from Uttar Pradesh and has been staying in the locality for over a period of two years. He has been eyeing on the victim for the last few days and was trying for an opportunity to commit the offence. On Tuesday, he was at home while his roommates has gone to work when he planned the offence. In the complaint, the victim said, “I was playing with other kids in the locality when Mulla called me and offered Rs20 if I accompany him to his house in the locality.”

Mulla locked the door after entering the mezzanine floor house and forced rape her. “The woman, witness to the incident, rushed upstairs on hearing the survivor’s scream. She said Mulla was trying to force on the victim when she called neighbours and entered the house after breaking the door. The survivor was handed over to her parents and FIR was lodged,” said inspector Mohan Ubale.

Locals thrashed Mulla before he was handed over to the police. He has been booked under the Indian Penal Code section for 376 (rape). He is also booked under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act sections 4 (penetrative sexual assault), 8 (sexual assault) and 12 (sexual harassment). He is in police custody. Police are probing whether Mulla has been ever involved in similar offence in the past.

