Kharghar: In a chilling incident that has sent shockwaves through the Kharghar community, a local cleric (Maulvi) was arrested by the Kharghar Police for allegedly committing unnatural sexual offenses against an 11-year-old boy. The incident has sparked massive outrage in the locality, with citizens demanding the strictest possible punishment for the accused.

According to the police, the horrific incident took place on the night of March 16. The victim, an 11-year-old resident of Kharghar, was playing in his neighbourhood in the evening when the accused approached him.

Under the pretext of offering a motorcycle ride, the accused lured the victim onto his bike. He then allegedly drove the boy to a secluded, open ground behind the football stadium in Sector 33, Kharghar, where he committed the unnatural sexual assault.

The trauma came to light after the boy informed his parents about the ordeal. The family immediately approached the Kharghar Police Station on March 17. Recognizing the gravity of the crime, the police acted swiftly and apprehended the accused within hours.

An FIR has been registered under several stringent sections of the POCSO Act (2012): Sections 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. sections pertaining to unnatural offenses. The accused was produced before the court on March 18, where the police sought his custody for further investigation.

The probe is being conducted under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Prashant Mohite and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vikram Kadam, with Senior PI Sanjay Joshi and API Pradeep Avhad leading the team. The local residents have expressed deep concern over the safety of children in the area, urging the authorities to ensure a fast-track trial to deliver justice to the minor victim.